Sixty Days
by XoRoxasXoSora
Summary: "You know what, I bet you one hundred thousand yen that you can't make one girl fall in love with you in," Naruto paused in thought before pointing a finger in Sasuke's face, "Sixty days!"  Oh what has Sasuke gotten himself into?  Sasuke X OC
1. The Bet

**New story? I think yes! This has been sitting in my computer for a looooong time and I just recently remembered that it was there! :o So here I am, posting it. Please tell me if this is worth continuing. Now onwards!**

**Disclaimer:I do not own Naruto, his ability to count, Sasuke and his sexiness or anything familiar. I just own my OC and the plot**

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

**The Bet**

His bright blue eyes stared at me unblinkingly, seeming to almost pierce right into my very soul. My pale hands shook from their place on the stiff, wooden table in nervousness. I couldn't control the way that my breath hitched just from the short amount of space between us. His warm, minty breath filled my senses as his smooth, unblemished face inched slowly towards mine and I watched his perfect, soft lips part while my heart beat nearly out of my chest. Sliding my eyes closed, I braced myself for the moment when his lips would touch mine, stealing away my very first kiss. This would be the moment that I would remember for-

"Oh you have got to be kidding me." I mumbled out into the empty space in the air. The rough, hard backed booked slipped out of my hands and onto the smooth mahogany desk in front of me, the title staring at me in golden bold letters as if silently screaming at me for uncaringly dropping it. Pushing up my silver framed glasses from their place sliding down my nose, I crossed my converse clad feet from their position propped up on the librarian's desk in front of me.

"Who would want to read that crap?" My dull voice echoed around the large, quiet library, bouncing off of the shiny tiled walls and through the expensive looking bookcases. The clock on the far wall tilted to one side as it tried to hang on , and obnoxiously ticked down the seconds until I could get out of here. I volunteered at the school library and had to work from the time that classes let out until the clock struck four-thirty, and it had to be the most peaceful way to spend my time. As soon as the last bell in school rang, students would mob out into the hall like a stampede of wild animals, trampling over anyone who dared to get into their path to freedom. While everyone else was outside yelling and screaming their little heads off about what guy looked at them, or what girl had the shortest skirt, I barricaded myself in the library. It was rare for anyone to come into my sanctuary for any reason, so it was my chance to just sit back and relax away from the screaming mob outside. The library was it's own special building set a few feet apart from the main part of the school, so I usually just hung out here and finished my homework until every last soul left the premises. No, I'm not one of those people who hate being near any living being, I just don't like to waste my time comparing how cute one guy is to the next or how much my life sucks.

Pushing off of the desk with my feet, I sent the brown leather chair I was in rolling backwards, the sound of my feet hitting the gray carpet loud to my ears. My name was Lyn Sorano, age sixteen and in class 2-A of Konoha High school, home of the Leaf Bandits. I was no one that you could really call special; I chose not to engage myself in a social circle, and I didn't try to be popular.

Bending down, I felt for the sandpaper texture that was my book bag and grabbed hold onto the single strap, standing up as I slipped it over my tiny shoulder. The material dug into the soft flesh at my neck until I shifted it to rest on the wool of my baggy white shirt. Glancing again up to the clock hanging onto the wall for dear life, I hollered into the tiny room in the back of the library that I was leaving. My call was met by a muffled goodbye from the old, senile librarian stacking books in the back and I slipped my way outside. I was greeted by the rush of cool air as I pushed open the swinging metal door and the scents of nature assaulted my nose, causing me to take a deep breath. Green trees whispered their hello's as I passed, the rough gravel of the pavement beneath my feet crunching to fill the silence. I hummed the last few bars of Itoshii Hito by Miyavi under my breath as I trekked back towards the school. I never had the chance to go to my locker right after the day ended, so I just waited patiently for everyone to leave before I made my way to my locker.

The silent whispers of the dead hallway met my ears as I pulled the brass handle of the large, beige door and stepped foot into the building. My footsteps were muffled as I softly padded my way down the long, steel, winding staircase in the middle of the floor. The school itself was really an architectural beauty. It's large marble beams supported the glass ceiling above as the sunlight reflected off of the glassy tiled floor, sending tiny beams of light bouncing off of the pale blue walls. All of the classroom doors were made purely of pinewood and each door had it's own special design that the art students had carved into them.

As my foot finally hit the last marble step, I sauntered off to the left, making my way down the rows of black metal lockers, scanning the doors for their numbers until I finally made it to mine. I twisted the silver lock, only stopping at the right numbers, and I pulled outwards, the locker opening with a click. Reaching in, I pulled out the necessary papers and heavy cardboard bound textbooks that I would need to study, and slowly slipped them into the brown bookbag on the floor by my feet. I was just shutting my locker closed when a loud bang echoed down the hallway followed by a clank and the voice of someone cursing. Curiously, I walked down the hallway and peeked around the corner. Pieces of metal and a binder were strewn across the floor and the wooden top of a desk lay broken in the middle of the floor. I couldn't help but tilt my head in confusion at the mess as I brushed my dark hair out of my eyes. A flash of blonde and a groan of pain caught my attention and I stepped around the corner with a look of concern on my face.

"Are you alright?" I asked the blonde as I carefully stepped around the papers littering the ground. I was met with another groan and met the baby blue eyes of the culprit.

"Yeah, I'm okay, heh heh." He sounded sheepish as he slowly picked himself up off the ground and I couldn't help but let out a sigh. I should have known.

Naruto Uzumaki-first in line to the thrown of popularity and best friend to the king of the school Sasuke Uchiha- stood before me with an embarrassed grin on his face as he rubbed the back of his head. I didn't want to, but I had to ask anyway.

"What…what happened?" Well they always did say curiosity killed the cat.

"Well you see," Naruto explained sheepishly, "I couldn't find my lucky necklace and I looked everywhere for it until Shikamaru told me that he saw Kiba put it in the air vent, so I tried to get it out but the desk I was standing on broke and I fell, heh heh."

"I'm sorry I asked." I muttered. Turning around, I went to leave until a hand caught my arm and spun me back around, causing me to come face to face with a very orange shirt. Lifting my gaze I met the bright blue orbs of Naruto.

"Hey, what's your name?" He asked and I raised an eyebrow at the question.

"Lyn Sorano." I twisted my arm out of his grasp and adjusted my bookbag strap higher onto my shoulder. A big grin suddenly spread itself across the blonde's face and he jerked a thumb to his chest.

"Well I'm-"

"Naruto." I jumped a little, startled by the new voice and whipped around to see the face of the devil.

"Oh hey Sasuke!" Naruto shouted in my ear and I flinched. Said person scanned the ground and shook his head in what appeared to be exasperation.

"Dobe."

Naruto, appearing to not be disturbed by the insult, grinned and swung an arm around Sasuke's shoulders. "I was wondering where you were! Come on, I'm hungry and I'm in the mood for some ramen!"

Sasuke shrugged Naruto's arm off of him and muttered, "When are you not in the mood for ramen?"

With an over enthusiastic wave, Naruto bid me goodbye and walked away with Sasuke-who didn't bother to acknowledge my existence- slowly trailing after him.

"You didn't even clean up your mess…" I whispered to myself as I glanced back at the mess laying hazardly on the floor. With a sigh, I turned and started on my way home.

**...**

Sasuke watched as Naruto downed the rest of his ninth bowl of ramen in disgust. The slurping sound finally ended as the blonde slammed his empty bowl down on the table.

"Ahh! Soo good!" He exclaimed. "Hey, you gonna finish that?"

Sasuke who had suddenly lost his appetite, shook his head watched as Naruto took his bowl and started inhaling the remaining noodles.

"Hey Sasuke." A seductive came from behind. Turning around, he was met with the flirtatious smile and the pink hair of Sakura Haruno and he barely contained the grimace that started to make its way across his face.

"Hn." He grunted in recognition as he turned back around in his stool to face the bar. Sakura suddenly latched onto his arm and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"I was wondering," she started, only to be cut off.

"Oh, hey Sakura!" Naruto exclaimed just as he finished downing his noodles. "What are you doing here?"

Sakura barely spared him a second glance and turned back to Sasuke.

"Like I was saying before, I was wondering if you wanted to, you know, catch a movie or something?" She ended the sentence with a girlish giggle and her grip on his arm tightened.

"No." The monotonous response came from the boy whose hair oddly resembled the butt of a duck as he detangled himself from the pinkette's vice like grip. Sakura opened her mouth to answer but she was cut off from what ever she was about to say by a voice calling her name.

"I'll see you later Sasuke-kun~" She sing-songed before scampering off to join Ino Yamanaka.

Sasuke, who let out a sigh of relief, turned to see the exasperated face of Naruto.

"How do you do that?" He whined and tugged at the sleeve of Sasuke's soft black shirt.

"Do what, dobe?" He responded with a look of slight annoyance. He honestly didn't know why he stuck around the blonde sometimes.

"Get Sakura's attention like that!" Naruto yelled, catching the attention of half of the restaurant as he jumped off of his stool. "You know what? I bet that you can't make every girl fall in love with you just because of your looks! I don't understand the appeal anyway, no offense, but I don't think you're that sexy! Um, I mean, I don't think you're sexy at all because I don't twist that way. Not that I'm saying that being gay is a bad thing, I mean-"

Sasuke shook his head and let out a sigh of annoyance. "Naruto."

"Um anyway, believe it! You know what, I bet you one hundred thousand yen that you can't make one girl fall in love with you in," Naruto paused in thought before pointing a finger in Sasuke's face and declaring, "Sixty days! That's about two months!"

Now Sasuke's attention was caught and not just by the fact that Naruto knew how to count.

"One hundred thousand yen?" He asked with a smirk. "Fine, you have a deal."

"But," Naruto continued, "I get to pick the girl!"

The smirk was still in place, "Fine, who?"

There was a pregnant pause as the ramen lover thought over the possibilities before snapping his fingers together.

"Lyn Sorano, the chick I met in the hallway after school today!" He exclaimed and he held out his hand for Sasuke to shake.

"Deal."

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><p><strong>Soo, worth continuing? Please review, I would love to hear your thoughts (:<strong>


	2. Welcome To Hyperactive Blondes

**Chapter two at your service! I am honestly having so much fun writing this story and I had to stop myself from continuing to write more to this chapter. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, Favorited, or added this story to your alerts! You keep me inspired! Anyway enough talking and onwards! Please tell me what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Neji's beautiful hair, or Gai's weirdness. Only the plot and OC's.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

**Welcome To the World of Hyperactive Blondes**

_Three words._

_What. The. Hell._

_Now I'm not the type of person to become easily annoyed, nor am I the type of person to spew out cuss words at any chance that becomes available, but come on!_

**What. The. Hell.**

_I suppose that I should have known from the minute that I had set foot into school this morning that it was going to be a bad day. The first hint should have come when Naruto Uzumaki started to pay attention to me, but no, I had walked on in sweet obliviousness to what was destined to happen that day. And it all started in what some people would call Homeroom._

_..._

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you knew that what was going on was strange and wrong, and yet you still went along with it? Yeah, that is what I felt like in homeroom.

The chattering of students filled the homey room and many sat on top of desks or sat backwards in their chairs to obnoxiously chat with their friends. The bald headed, heavyset teacher that normally occupied the front of the classroom had yet to arrive, which also meant that the chaos brewing in the room had yet to die down. So there I was, sitting in my chair at my desk with an open novel that I had borrowed from the library and had yet to finish, my feet propped up on the metal bar that ran horizontally underneath the desk and slouched down into my chair with my glasses slowly sliding down my nose.

_Her breath hitched as she slowly inched around the corner, carefully limping on her injured leg while she tried to muffle her sobs. They were after her and she knew that she was going to die, there was no way she could escape before she was found or before she...bled to death. She was going to die alone-_

"I **know** right? And did you _hear_ the way she said it?"

A loud burst of laughter filled the room and I lifted my head and sent an annoyed glare over at the group of girls sitting in a circle on their desks before turning back to my book.

_Crash! The girl froze and held her breath while she awaited for footsteps to rush towards her hiding place. Pieces of glass lay scattered on the ground, covering the shiny tiles with sprinkles of gold. They were coming! Loud slaps echoed down the hallway-_

"Yo, Lyn-chan!"

I jumped and glared at the feet that I could see sticking out from underneath my desk and prayed that whoever this person was, they would leave me alone.

"Hey! Hey! Lyn-chan!" Fingers appeared in my vision and I sighed when they started to wiggle in front of my face. I shouldn't have looked up, I really shouldn't, I should have kept on ignoring him in hope that he would go away, but me being me: I had no such luck.

Fixating another annoyed glare onto my features I glanced up to meet beautiful baby blue eyes. His blonde hair fell into gentle spikes atop his head and a few strands hung down to frame his soft face. A bright smile was adorned onto his sun-kissed skin and, happy that he had gotten my attention, he stopped waving his fingers around like he was trying to cast a spell.

I felt my eye involuntarily twitch.

"What do you want?"

"Ah! Lyn-chan, why do you have to be so cold?"

I ignored the way he pouted his perfectly shaped pale pink lips and turned my attention back to my book. It would have been a lie to say that he was unattractive, but I wouldn't fall for his fake boyish charm. His type didn't have to work to get people to like them, all they had to do was flash a smile and anyone they wanted would be all over them; I hated that type.

"Ne, ne, Lyn-chan why are you ignoring me?"

Sighing, I relented and allowed myself to look back up to see the ridiculous pout still plastered on his face.

"Stop calling me that," I paused for a moment before asking a question that had been burning at the back of my mind. "And why are you talking to me?"

His grin didn't falter, in fact, he didn't seem at all affected by the cold aura that had suddenly surrounded me. Without asking permission he plopped down onto my desk and, much to my annoyance, snatched the book out of my hands and threw it on the empty chair stacked on top of the next desk over.

"Why wouldn't I talk to you, Lyn-chan?" That stupid smile was still on his face and I wanted to tell him to shove it, but the glares that the girls in the room shot at me made me change my mind; let them be jealous for once.

"Naruto," I sighed. "Was there something that you wanted?"

"Yeah. I wanted to tell you that you should sit with us at lunch today!"

There was no question of who he meant by _us. _The popular crew, the number one's, the kings and queens of the school, aka the bane of my existence.

"No, I'll pass." I reached over and plucked my book back up and opened it to the page that I was on before I had been rudely interrupted.

"But Lyn-chan, you _have_ to!" I could practically hear the whine in his voice and I just knew that he had that pout back on his face.

"No, no I don't."

Thankfully the bell rang then and the teacher finally entered looking flustered and out of breath. His face was splotched with red and sweat gleamed on his forehead as he set a stack of papers down onto his cluttered desk.

"Sorry I'm late, the printer in the teacher's lounge broke."

I let out a sigh and marked my page before softly closing my book and placing it in the bag at my feet. As the teacher began to call out attendance I had to suppress the groan that threatened to make its way past my lips when a piece of paper landed on my desk. I didn't want to read it but it teetered on the edge of my desk, taunting me in silence and I reached over to open it. Unfolding it and smoothing out the creases, I almost face planted when I read the simple sentence written in sloppy, slanted handwriting.

_Lyn-chan, I'll come find you before lunch so don't worry about looking for me! _

_-Naruto :D_

Lord help me.

...

That brought me here, hiding behind my open locker door and clutching my books to my chest as if they would protect me. Students mobbed the hallways excited as always to get a break from classes and stuff their faces but I only felt scared. Very scared. I had no doubt that Naruto would make good on his promise to come find me and I was _not_ looking foreword to it. The kid didn't understand the word _no_ and absolutely refused to take it for an answer which made me fear for my well being. As the crowds in the hallways slowly started to die down I scanned each of the remaining faces and let out a slight sigh before closing my locker. Maybe he forgot, no, I hop to God that he forgot. Glancing down towards each end of the hallway suspiciously, I slowly began to creep towards the school's exit because there was no _way_ that I was going to the cafeteria, not with Naruto Uzumaki on the prowl. Just as I reached the end of the too long corridor I heard a noise behind me that made me flinch in fear.

"Oi! Lyn-chaaaaan!"

I kept walking in hope that he would believe that I hadn't heard him and would just leave me alone. Psh, yeah right, as if I had _that_ much luck.

"Lyn-chan! Hey, Lyn-chan!" A surprisingly strong hand caught my arm and spun me around so that I was face to chest with my certified stalker. "Hey, you know you're going the wrong way, right? The cafeteria is this way silly!"

My eyes traveled up to meet bright blue and I tried to suppress the grimace working its way onto my face.

"Hn, let's go or Sakura will come looking for us again."

Almost comically, my eyes widened as I slowly swiveled my head in the direction that the annoyingly deep and familiar voice had come from. Surprisingly soft looking ink black hair styled into a fashion that appeared to look like the butt of a duck was the first thing that caught my attention. My eyes slowly traveled down to meet dark onyx eyes and I took in the way they were framed by perfect brows and the way a strong, sharp jaw shaped his face in an incredibly handsome way. A clean white shirt was topped off by a black expensive jacket and dark grey jeans hugged his body in a way that fit his figure perfectly. Sasuke Uchiha, resident bad boy, completely rich, who somehow managed to get perfect grades, topped off with gorgeous looks: he was perfect. I hated him.

"Right, heh heh," Naruto let go of my arm and scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "By the way, Lyn-chan this is Sasuke, Sasuke this is Lyn-chan!"

"I told you not to call me that." I muttered, completely ignoring the duck man standing at Naruto's side.

"Anyway come on, I'm hungry!" The hyperactive blonde cut in before Sasuke could even utter a word and grabbed my arm again, dragging me off back down the hallway.

...

Have you ever been in a really awkward situation before? One that made you just want to sink into the floor and just disappear? Yeah, think of one of those moments and multiply it times ten.

Walking to the cafeteria with Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha had to have been one of the most awkward moments of my life. The deserted hallways were hauntingly silent and neither of the boys on either side of me uttered a word, which was pretty surprising because everyone knew that Naruto never shut his mouth. I sent a glance at him from the corner of my eye to see that his eyes were glazed over as he stared out into space as if he were deep in thought and when I looked over at Sasuke he had a stoic look plastered onto his features. Can anybody say weird?

I took the time to really go over my situation in my mind. I mean, why was this suddenly happening to me? Since when did two of the most popular boys in school even speak to me let alone acknowledge my mere existence? I was a nobody, an outcast, and I personally liked to keep it that way. I didn't even know why the blonde to my left bothered to invite me to have lunch with him and his friends, unless, of course this was some kind of prank. Naruto was certainly the type to pull pranks and who knew if this wasn't one of them? I didn't want to take the risk of this just being one big prank but there was no way that I would be able to escape from out under the watchful eye of Naruto, nor would I be able to get out from his vice like grip. I had to steel myself for the worst: for the laughing that would erupt when we got to the cafeteria and for the smirk that would flicker across Sasuke's face when I realized that I had been set up for some stupid joke.

I almost sighed in grim acceptance when the cafeteria doors came into view and I mentally prepared myself. If they laughed, I would just laugh right back at them.

When we came to the double glass doors, Naruto snapped out of his daze and held them open while simultaneously flashing me a grin. I followed Sasuke inside and Naruto appeared at my side when he caught up to us and we slowly made our way up to the food line. I could _feel_ it: feel the gazes of everyone in the room on us and I had to swallow the urge to bolt back out the way we came in. This wasn't what I was used to; I didn't like to be the center of attention. Naruto, as if sensing my inner turmoil, sent me another smile and gently pushed a hand against the small of my back.

"Come on, let's get some food. I'm _starving_!"

I couldn't help but send him a shaky smile; when was this guy _not_ hungry?

As soon as we got our food and payed, Sasuke and Naruto led the way to a huge circular table in the center of the room. Did I mention that it was _completely crowded_? As we got closer I was able to make out the faces spread around the dark wooden colored table. Brown hair framed by a fuzzy white hood was the first thing that caught my attention.

_Kiba Inuzuka: complete jock, dog lover, and extremely hotheaded. He was well known for his loud blow-ups and hotheadedness._

Great, just what I needed. Another familiar face caught my attention and I had to repress the shiver that tingled down my spine.

_Ino Yamanaka: absolute girly-girl with some sick obsession with Sasuke Uchiha. Her absolute rival and best friend was Sakura Haruno; they had been fighting over Sasuke since elementary school._

We had made it to the table then, and everyone glanced up when Naruto suddenly thrust me in front of them, unknowingly sacrificing me to the bloodthirsty teenagers eyeing me.

"Guys, this is Lyn Sorano and she's eating with us today, so be nice!" He gave me a slight nudge foreword and pointed at each member of the group, introducing them in order. When the introductions were over, he happily sat down next to Choji Akimichi-a heavyset boy with spiky brown hair and what looked to be swirly tattoo's on each cheek. Sasuke took his place next to Shikamaru Nara-the most smartest guy in school- and looked over his shoulder to see me still standing in place awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot.

"You can sit here." He gestured to an empty space beside him and I shuffled over and shakily sat down.

"Thanks." I muttered quietly.

"Hn." The way he looked me over made me want to sink into my chair and disappear. His eyes slowly scanned me from head to foot and I was barely able to keep my blush at bay until he "hn'd" and turned his attention towards the food laying on his tray.

I finally let my eyes lift from my lap and almost dropped my jaw when I saw the nasty glares that Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka were sending my way. Sakura, with her short pink hair and currently narrowed emerald green eyes took me in almost the same way that Sasuke had and I immediately glanced back down at my lap. After accepting my presence, the rest of the group had gone back to what ever they had been talking about before I had shown up and Sakura finally joined back into the conversation.

"So who else thinks that the new teacher is creepy?" She asked, shaking her head with a fake shudder.

"What new teacher?" Naruto begrudgingly tore himself away from his food to voice the question.

"I heard that his name is Gai-sensei." The response came from a guy with girlishly long dark hair and blue-almost white eyes. His skin was completely smooth of any blemishes and his hair hung delicately down his back: it seemed to suit him. Neji Hyuuga.

"Ah! Yes! He is my new gym teacher and he is amazing!" An excited response game from a guy that I easily recognized. Black hair was styled into an unflattering bowl cut and two untamed eyebrows rested above his shimmering dark eyes. "He is _so_ cool!" Rock Lee.

"You would say that." Kiba rolled his eyes and stabbed a piece of meet with his fork.

"What does that mean, Kiba?" Lee suddenly leapt out of his chair and formed a thumbs up with his hand. "It is okay to be jealous but try not to show it in front of our new guest! You would make a bad impression."

I would have groaned in despair when every pair of eyes at the table abruptly landed on me, but I had been momentarily blinded by the bright toothy grin that Rock Lee sent my way.

"W-what do you think of the new teacher, Sorano-san?" A soft voice came from beside Neji and I blinked when I realized that I hadn't noticed her earlier. She had soft dark blue-almost purple hair that framed her delicate face and bangs that hung in her light blue eyes. Pale fingers nervously tangled together as she regarded me with a shy smile and I immediately decided that I liked her the best. Realizing that everyone was waiting on me to give an answer, I swallowed.

"I haven't met him, actually."

There was a long, awkward pause during which they all stared at me uncomfortably until finally:

"I haven't met him either."

My savior came from the form of Sasuke and I was barely able to hide the surprise in my eyes as he looked at me. Everyone else seemed to take this in before finally returning to the conversation and I sent a grateful smile at the boy beside me. A corner of his perfectly shaped mouth hitched up in return and he turned back to his food.

...

Longest. Day. Of. My. Life.

I was finally home after some how managing to survive the rest of the school day and I collapsed down onto my bed and fingered my soft wool comforter. What the hell happened today? After lunch the group broke apart and some-Naruto, Hinata, Rock Lee, and Choji-bid me goodbye and we all went our separate ways. Me to my locker to somehow process exactly had just happened. I thanked God that today was Friday, which meant that I had two days of freedom before I had to go back to school and I _prayed_ that when Monday rolled around, things would just go back to normal and Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki would just forget my existence.

Psh, yeah right. As if I were _that_ lucky.

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><p><strong>So what did you think? Likes? Dislikes?<strong>

**Review?(:**


	3. Of Scary Old Ladies and Red Heads

**Chapter three has arrived! And pretty quickly might I add. I know this chapter is kinda short, but I had to get it away because the next chapter will definitively be longer. Anyway, thank you to everyone who has reviewed! I hope you like the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, scary old ladies, and I don't own the sexiness that is Gaara. But I do own the plot and OC's**

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

**Of Scary Old Ladies and Red Heads**

"You need a boyfriend."

That was the sentence that had greeted me when I awoke Saturday morning. I hadn't even made it all the way down the carpeted staircase when my mother's voice floated up from the living room. The second that my socked feet touched the ground, I knew that I was going to get _the talk_. No, not **_that_** talk, but one that was probably just as embarrassing as the birds and the bees.

My mother sat on one of the two coffee colored couches with a newspaper in one hand and a hair tie in the other as she attempted to tame her wild brown curls. Her forest green eyes were alight with mischief and I already knew the speech that would spew from her mouth. It went something along the lines of:

_Lyn I think it's time, I think you're ready for this. There is a time in every girl's life when she realizes that she needs to get herself a man, oh-no, don't give me that look. I know what you're thinking! You believe that you don't need one and no, don't tell me that no guy is interested because you know that they are, honey! I bet that there's tons of boys in school who want to go out with my Lyn and I've accepted the fact that I won't be number one in your life anymore; so, I think that you're ready!_

The speech never got further then that because I never stick around to hear the end, I mean, who would? My mother leaned back against the cushions, opened her mouth to begin, and I mentally panicked. I needed to get out of there and fast!

"Lyn I think it's time-"

"Ah, I can't," I interrupted, thinking fast. "I have to meet some friends at the mall soon!"

The instant it was out of my mouth I regretted it. Her eyes lit up as if I had just told her that Christmas had come early and Santa brought me a boyfriend and she immediately sprung up from the couch.

"Really? That's so great, honey, I'll drive you!"

I didn't have the chance to decline because she was already running up to her room to get ready and I sighed.

_Why? Why did my brain have to be detached from my mouth?_

...

Sunlight streamed prettily through the window, sending tiny rays of light across my arm and onto my face. Green shrubs outlined the entrance to the looming building and families migrated in and out of the revolving glass doors. We were pulled up along a curb out front of the Mall of Konoha, which happened to be the only mall in this town. I looked up at the white and black bricks as my hand hovered over the handle of the car door.

"Go on honey, I'm sure you're friends are waiting for you," she shot me a grin and gestured to the door. "Go on, they're probably wondering where you are. Just call and I'll come pick you up."

Nodding, I took a deep breath and opened the car door, slowly dragging my feet towards the entrance. As soon as I got to the doors I sent a glance back over my shoulder to see that my mom was long gone and I begrudgingly made my way inside. The temperature change almost immediately and the cool air helped to cool my frazzled nerves. Just _what_ was I supposed to do now, stuck in the mall by myself with no money? Great, just great.

I made my way past stores and window displays and kept my head down, hoping that no one would recognize me and see me walking by myself like a loser. My eyes passed over the cracks in the shiny polished floor and I grunted when a sudden impact jostled my arm. I looked up to see a little old lady eyeing me with her shopping bags clutched in her arms. The woman had stormy grey eyes and smile lines tugged at the corner of her thin lips in a frown while she looked me up and down. Her brown hair was piled atop her head in a messy but stylish look and she reminded me of the sweet old lady across the street from my house.

"What, you ain't gonna say sorry for running into me?" She spat out harshly and my eyes widened in shock.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" I replied hastily, only to be cut off.

"So now you ain't got enough backbone to tell me it was my fault? What are you, boneless?"

I snapped my mouth closed and gaped at the woman with fearful eyes. Was she bi-polar?

"I'm sorry?" My voice squeaked in question and I slowly started to inch my way backwards.

"Humph, children these days! So lazy."

The little old lady clutched her bags tighter to her chest and shuffled past me without a good-bye and I was left staring after her with a confused and shocked expression on my face. What had just happened? Shaking my head a little, I turned and walked towards a bench sitting in between a clothing store and a seafood bar and sat down. A groan of despair escaped my lips and I buried my face in my hands, propping my elbows up against my knees. I only had to wait here for about an hour and then I could call my mother without being questioned about leaving so soon. But my phone rested in my back pocket and I contemplated calling her now. Maybe I could make up an excuse about how "my friends" couldn't make it or I could just walk home, but that would probably take longer than an hour.

I lifted my head up and leaned back into the uncomfortable wooden bench. People and families walked by and their conversations filled the air, mixing together to form that sound you only hear when hundreds of people are talking at once. Women passed, gossiping about their boyfriends or husbands as they carried shopping bags filled with shoes and clothes that they blasted their money on. Men walked by, some in suits with cell phones glued to their ears and others with children clinging to their hands. A sigh escaped from my lips and I closed my eyes to block out all of the sights as if I could magically make them go away. I don't know how long I had been sitting there when the creaking of wood alerted me to the presence beside me. We both stayed silent and I wondered why they chose this bench when there were hundreds of other ones scattered about.

A few moments passed and I let curiosity get the better of me. I barely lifted up an eyelid to peeked out of the corner of my eye and I had to clamp my mouth shut tight to prevent a gasp from escaping. The man's blood red hair was arranged in a sophisticated and yet messy style and it was parted so that some of it fell into his right eye. His eyes were the most beautiful color that I had ever seen: blue mixed with green and they glittered with intense boredom. I could smell the barely there husky cologne wafting from his figure and I silently wondered where he got it. Dark black jeans stuck tightly to his legs and a dark grey shirt flowed to his waist, outlining the muscles in his stomach. Overall he was gorgeous and I couldn't stop myself from ogling him. But suddenly man-no the guy, because he couldn't have been any older than seventeen- slid his eyes over to me and I blushed at being caught staring.

I quickly looked away and I felt his eyes roaming over my figure. I knew that I wasn't much to look at; shoulder length black hair, ocean blue eyes framed by rectangular glasses, and a stick thin figure. The clothes that I wore were also plain and I almost sighed at the realization: a guy like him would never go for a girl like me. I slowly risked a glance back over to see that he was once again facing foreword with his arms crossed and that bored expression on his face. Yeah, I thought so.

We continued to sit in silence when the sound of loud, quick footsteps reached my ears. I didn't bother to turn around, we were at a mall where people walked by all the time, but a sudden sinking feeling entered my gut when a shadow loomed over me.

"Yo Gaara!" That voice. _That voice_. I could recognize it anywhere and I silently cursed my luck. "We've been looking everywhere for you. Is this where you've been the whole time?"

The guy next to me, who I guessed was Gaara, lifted himself up off the bench with a quiet sigh. Now that he was standing I was able to see just how tall he was and he had to have been at least almost six feet.

"Are we leaving?" His tone, much like his expression, was bored and I couldn't help but marvel at his deep raspy voice.

"Ne, ne, not yet. You haven't even bought anything!" That _voice_. "We're all waiting for Sakura and Ino to finish shopping. They take _forever_! Besides, I'm hungry and Shikamaru offered to buy us all lunch!"

I tried to sink down as low as possible and I even ducked my head in attempt to hide my face, but oh no, God was not on my side that day.

"Hey! Is that.." _That_ _voice_ was accompanied by footsteps as he rounded the bench and I swallowed hard.

No, please no, don't recognize me, don't-

"Lyn-chan? Lyn-chan! Heeeey! It's me, Naruto!"

I shut my eyes tightly before I raised my head and saw the spiky blonde hair.

"Hey." My greeting sounded unenthusiastic even to my own ears and I grimaced at my luck.

"What are you doing here?" He gestured wildly and I leaned back out of reflex.

"Sitting." The abrupt response didn't seem to affect Naruto at all.

"Oh, I see," He put a finger to his lips as if he were trying to solve an intricate problem. The blonde's face suddenly lit up in excitement and I knew that I would dread the next words that came out of his mouth. "Hey, why don't you come eat lunch with us! Yeah, it'll be fun, Lyn-chan!"

Remember how I had mentioned that Naruto never took the word _no_ for an answer? I take that back because I don't even think that the word _no_ was in his dictionary, nor did I think that he knew the definition of it. His hand suddenly surged foreword and grabbed my arm, hauling me to my feet despite my loud protests. I looked to Gaara for help as I was slowly being dragged away but he just stared at me indifferently as if he was pretending I wasn't there and I could even make out a tiny amount of amusement in his eyes.

_Why me?_

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><p><strong>I know it was short but please tell me what you think! Criticism is welcome!<strong>

**Review? :P**


	4. Into The Lion's Den

**If you're here to read chapter four then you're in the right place.~ Firstly I want to thank Shikamaru'sLove  for reviewing for every chapter of both of my stories :D I also want to thank everyone else who reviewed, alterted, or favorited. Also, I'll probably be updating this story more than Rain in the Sand because I find this story more fun to write, but I haven't given up on that story so don't worry! Here's chapter four! Please tell me what you think.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, The Terminator, nor do I own a Porche.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

**Into The Lion's Den**

I honestly felt sorry for Shikamaru.

Then again, he should have known better than to offer to pay for everyone's lunch. Naruto and Choji had taken full advantage of this fact and had piles upon piles of empty plates stacked onto the table in between them. Sasuke, who was squashed into my side on the cramped bench, ignored the two boys stuffing their faces across from us. Kiba, who sat on my other side, was staring them down in disgust while I tried to ignore them and eat the bowl of misu soup I ordered.

I was slowly starting to lose my appetite.

"Can I get another one of these?" Choji asked a passing waitress and it was hard to contain the bubbling laughter that tried to escape my lips when I caught sight of Shikamaru.

His mouth had parted in disbelief and an expression of utter despair and regret formed on his features. Gaara was completely indifferent to the whole situation as he blissfully ate his curry and I had to admire his ability to ignore the chaos. It was just the six of us here because Ino and Sakura had gone home after complaining about how tired they were. I was surprised that they had passed at the chance to hang out with Sasuke; they were completely obsessed after all.

I pushed my half empty bowl away and grimaced at the thought of eating another bite. The restaurant that we were was located in a small corner of the mall and it served everything that you could possibly imagine. Warm shades of red and browns covered the walls and pictures of beautiful landscapes hung in wooden frames. Since it was a small, cozy place to eat, we were all currently squished together in a tiny table.

Waiters and waitresses passed by carrying silver trays stacked with foods of different assortments before returning back to the kitchen to retrieve more. This place was surprisingly busy for being so compact. Sighing, I risked a glance back up at the duo stuffing their faces and immediately regretted it because they were spooning different kinds of foods into their mouths all at once.

"Are they always like this?" I muttered to Sasuke, causing him to look up from his food.

"Every time," he replied. His obsidian eyes took the time to take me in and I had to force back the blush when a corner of his pale pink lips lifted upwards in a smirk. "But you get used to it."

Sasuke was dressed in a loose fitting, long-sleeved white shirt and every time he moved his arm would brush against mine and I would feel the soft wool material. Any one else would have been ecstatic and practically swooning at the subtle touches but I wasn't affected, or at least, that's what I liked to tell myself. There was no doubt that Sasuke Uchiha was attractive, but I wouldn't be falling to my knees at his charm any time soon.

"I don't understand how anyone could get used to that." I replied with a grimace, reaching up to adjust the glasses sliding down my nose.

"I don't know who to feel more sorry for," he murmured. "Shikamaru or Kiba."

One look at Kiba and by the green shade his face had turned, you could tell that he was trying to fight the urge to spew out the contents of his stomach. I really couldn't blame the poor guy. Shikamaru looked ready to explode as he held his head and squeezed his eyes shut tight; there was no doubt that he was deeply regretting his act of kindness. I couldn't hold back the slight smirk the quirked up at the corner of my mouth.

"I'd say both."

I honestly couldn't believe that I was having a such a casual conversation with Sasuke Uchiha. I mean, in the past he had always taken liberty to act like I didn't exist and I gratefully returned the favor. So what had suddenly caused this change?

"Ah." I was brought out of my thoughts by the wistful sigh.

"That was delicious!" Naruto stretched like a cat and then leaned back into his booth with a relaxed grin and patted his stomach. "I'm so full."

"Yeah, thanks for the lunch, Shikamaru." Choji, much like Naruto, leaned back into the plastic covered cushions with a contented sigh.

"No… problem." Said the guy with the pineapple shaped brown hair. A blank expression was formed on his face and after asking if everyone else was finished, he waved over the waitress.

"Here you go!" The girl exclaimed cheerfully as she handed him the small black booklet containing the check. By the way her eyes lingered on Gaara I could tell that she wanted to say something to him, but she pressed her lips firmly together. "Is there anything else that you needed?"

"No, thank you," Shika sighed and reached into his back pocked for his wallet and after staring at the numbers printed onto the check, he groaned. "How troublesome. My mom is going to seriously nag me for spending all of this money."

After everything was paid for, we all got up and made out way out of the restaurant.

"I need to get home so I can get to work on time."

We all turned out attention to Kiba, who was staring at the watch on his left wrist as if wishing it into oblivion. We all bid him good-bye and our group split apart. Gaara went one way after muttering an excuse about needing to pick of dinner supplies for Temari, and Naruto, Sasuke, and I walked towards the exit of the mall.

"Today was a fun day huh?" Naruto broke the silence as he folded his arms behind his head. Sasuke responded with a grunt and I replied with a small "sure".

The second we exited the doors we were immediately soaked by the rapid rainfall pouring down around us.

"Gah!" Naruto yelled in surprise and he grabbed my arm and pulled me under the protective awning stretched around the outer walls. Sasuke jogged over and ducked his head to shield his eyes from the onslaught. His hair layed flat against his head and some strands had stuck themselves onto his wet forehead. Naruto looked no different with his spikes plastered to his scalp and I knew that I probably resembled a drowned rat.

"This is just great." I had to shout over the rain for them to hear me and they both nodded their heads in agreement.

"How are we going to find the car in this mess?" Sasuke cursed from beside me and I jumped a little when a bolt of lightning suddenly streaked across the sky.

"I'm calling my mom." I muttered into the air and slid my phone out of my pocket. Dread filled my stomach when I swiped my finger across the screen to see that I had one unopened text from my mother. I almost groaned out loud when I skimmed over it.

**_I've_****_ been called into work today and I won't be able to come pick you up so you'll have to get a ride from one of your friends. I'll see you at home later tonight!_**

**_-Mom_**

"You've got to be kidding me." I groaned.

"What's wrong, Lyn-chan?" Naruto yelled as tiny water droplets slid down his face and into his bright blue eyes.

"My mom can't pick me up so I'm going to have to walk home." I sighed and looked out into the downpour. I was_ so_ not looking foreword to walking home in_ that_.

"Hey, maybe…" the blonde had a look of contemplation on his face as he regarded me. "Maybe you can come back to Sasuke's house with us! Yeah, that's a great idea! Sasuke doesn't mind, right Sasuke?"

Obsidian eyes shone with thought before he shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever."

Naruto's eyes lit up and he grinned in excitement. "So, what d'ya say?"

I looked back and forth between the two and bit my lip in hesitance. Glancing back out at the rain I realized that it wouldn't be letting up any time soon and I sighed.

"Okay."

...

After finally locating the car, I had to forcible snap my jaw shut when Sasuke started unlocking the door.

A sleek black Porsche 911 Carrera S Basalt Metallic sat in the parking space as raindrops continued to splash against the tinted front windshield. The paint looked completely unscratched and a sliver of white outlined the edge of the car. Overall, it was my dream car. Sasuke finally unlocked the door and opened it, popping the driver's seat foreword and he held the door out for me as he gestured for me to climb into the back.

I swiftly slid into the brown leathered seat and drew my legs closer when the driver's seat popped back into place. The passenger side door opened and Naruto slipped inside, the wetness of his clothes rubbing against the smooth leather to create a high pitched squeaking sound.

"Try not to mess up my car, dobe."

"Heh heh, right." Naruto grinned.

The blonde rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and I slid over to the middle seat as Sasuke started the car. It purred to life and the Uchiha prodigy swiftly maneuvered it out of the parking lot.

I completely drowned out the radio and the soft pitter patter of rain hitting the roof of the car as I stared out the window. How did I always seem to find myself in a horrible situation? Ever since I ran into Naruto two days ago, life hasn't been the same and I was starting to regret going back to my locker that day. When Monday came rolling along I knew that they wouldn't pretend like none of this ever happened and things wouldn't go back to normal. Naruto was much too friendly and he wouldn't let me go that easily.

But if I really thought about it, was it really so bad, being friends with him? I didn't really have any friends to begin with so this was definitely a step forward, but was it too big a step? There had to be a reason why Sasuke and Naruto had suddenly taken an interest in me. Was this all just some kind of joke? Flashes of a bright smile flitted through my mind and I mentally shook away the thought. The blonde haired idiot seemed so sincere and I knew that he wasn't a very good actor, so why? Why me?

"Lyn-chan. Hey, Lyn-chan!"

The voice abruptly entered my thoughts and I shook my head and glanced up at Naruto.

"Huh?"

"We're here!" He exclaimed as he unbuckled his seatbelt and bolted out the door. Sasuke rolled his eyes and took the keys from the ignition.

"Idiot." He muttered and slid himself out of the car, reaching back to pop the seat up for me. I got out and shut the door, turning on my heel to follow Sasuke up the marbled driveway. It was then that I noticed that his white shirt was completely soaked through and I almost blushed. His skin looked smooth to the touch and I could see the muscles in his back flex each time he took a step. His black jeans held tight to his long legs and when he turned to the side to walk up the few steps to his door, I could see the outlining of the abs on his stomach.

Oh, God. I did _not_ just check out Sasuke Uchiha!

My internal struggle didn't show on my face as I hopped up the few steps and stopped beside Naruto while Sasuke was busy unlocking the door. The rain was starting to calm down a little and I took the time to glance up at the house. In the dark it was hard to make out the details, but from what I could see, it was huge. The outside was made of marble bricks and it had to be at least three stories. White stone pillars reached upwards to hold the brick awning stretching out and around the wide porch.

The door opened smoothly and I followed Naruto and Sasuke inside, immediately being blasted by cool air that made me shiver. Lights flickered on and my eyes widened in awe as I took in the shiny grey marble mosaic flooring and the expensive looking furniture. The short hallway from the door opened up into a living room/dining room. A white plush couch had its back facing towards us and two expensive looking armchairs surrounded each side.

"Man, I'm gonna go take a shower." Naruto stretched and slowly made his way past the living room and into a hallway, turning an abrupt left at the end and disappearing. Sasuke and myself were left dripping on the polished floor…alone. He ran a hand through his damp hair, sending little droplets of water everywhere then he turned to look at me.

"I'll get you some dry clothes." His gaze held mine for a moment and I nodded in response.

"Okay." My voice seemed loud in the quiet room.

He turned and headed the same way Naruto went and I had to guess that there was some kind of staircase beyond the darkness. I bounced on the balls of my feet as I tried to get warm and ignore the thoughts screaming in my head. I was in Sasuke Uchiha's house. Great, just great. So not how I wanted to spend my Saturday.

Footsteps echoed throughout the room and I looked up to see Sasuke approaching with a bundle of dry clothes in his arms. He had obviously changed out of his wet outfit and now sported a tight black Under Armor shirt with loose fitting blue jeans. His black hair was almost completely dry and the spikes in the back started to stick up in his usual duck butt style.

"Here," he pressed the warm clothes in my hands and pointed over his shoulder. "The bathroom's down that hallway. Second room on the right. You can leave your wet clothes on the sink."

"Thanks." I mumbled and made my way down to the hallway, walking into the open bathroom and softly shutting the door. Feeling along the smooth wall, I waited until my fingers ran over the light switch and flipped it upwards. Bright lights flooded the room and I gasped. Pristine white counters ran down both sides of the room to my left and right and at the side opposite of me sat a large beige bathtub. From my position I could make out tiny jets set into it and I couldn't help but imagine how relaxing that would be. I finally tore my gaze away and walked to one of the counters, examining the mirrors that stretched all the way across the wall and set the bundle of clothes down.

I slid off my glasses and pulled off my soaked shirt, dropped it onto the counter, and picked up the soft blue shirt and put it on. It was comfortable and had a husky smell that reminded me of the cologne from those popular clothing stores. I put my glasses back on and slipped out of my jeans, reaching over to pick up the grey sweatpants and pulling them on. They were both big on me and hung off of my body to the point where I had to roll up the sweatpants so that they weren't dragging on the ground.

I left my wet clothes on the counter and made my way out of the room, switching off the lights as I went. As I made my way down the hallway sounds of gunshots echoed down the hallway before they abruptly cut off and was replaced by laughter. Naruto sat on the white couch with a grey towel hanging off of his neck and a remote dangled lazily from his fingers. A large screen television hung on the wall above the brick fireplace. Sasuke was on one of the black armchairs with his legs stretched out on the matching footrest and I slowly trudged over to sit on the couch with Naruto.

He sent me a grin and I smiled back at him while crossing my bare feet under my legs. I had taken my cell phone out of my wet jeans and it now rested in my lap.

"So Lyn-chan, what time do you have to be home by?" The blonde asked me and I glanced at the clock on the cable box. Nine-forty-five pm flashed in red letters and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I dunno." It was a weekend after all, which meant that I didn't have to be home by curfew.

"Then I guess your hanging out with us for a little while." Sasuke smirked from his place across the room from me and I leaned back into the cushions.

"I guess I don't have much of a choice." We held each others gaze in a silent showdown until Naruto decided to suddenly jump up from his seat.

"Ne, ne, let's do something!" He shook his blonde hair out of his eyes and looked back and forth between us.

"Like what, dobe?" Sasuke sighed.

"Uh…" He trailed off in thought as he scanned around the room. "How 'bout a movie?"

I shrugged indifferently. "Sure, why not?"

Sasuke hn'ed his agreement and Naruto walked over to the glass cabinet leaning against the waist high wall separating the living room from the dining room. He slipped out a movie and walked over to the dvd player sitting atop a large stereo. Picking up the dvd remote on his way back, the blonde changed the channel to Aux and skipped through the opening previews. I had no idea what movie he chose so I just spread myself across the couch while Sasuke reached up to turn the lights off.

It was weird to be honest. I never imagined myself hanging out in Sasuke's living room, but there I was, laying across his couch with Naruto to watch a movie.

The previews ended and I almost groaned when the title screen came on. The Terminator lit up the screen and Naruto pressed play. As the beginning of the movie started to play I prepared myself for a loong night.

...

_"I'll be back."_

The voice jolted me awake and my eyes snapped open in the darkness. A loud, obnoxious ringing pierced through the shadows and I grimaced as I felt around for my phone. I tried to get up but a weight on my legs stopped me. Naruto had his head back against the armrest of the couch and his feet were propped up on top of my legs. His eyes were closed and his lips were parted in sleep and I couldn't help the snort that escaped my lips. Way to fall asleep. The ringing cut off before starting up again and I reached down to feel the brown carpet with my fingertips until they brushed against cold glass. My fingers tightened around my phone and I lifted it to my face.

_Incoming call_**: Mom**

"Hello?" I answered groggily.

"Where are you?" Her voice cut into my ear drums and I held my phone away from my ear. "Do you have any idea of what time it is?"

I glanced up at the clock and grimaced as I read the bright red numbers. Twelve-oh-one am. Great. A sudden movement caught my eye and I looked over to see Sasuke standing up from the armchair, stretching his arms above his head until his back cracked.

"Lyn! Lyn, are you listening to me?" A voice snapped me back.

"Yeah, yeah," I replied. "Sorry I'm at a…friend's house and I guess I fell asleep."

Sasuke looked over to me as he suppressed a yawn and I guessed that he had fallen asleep too.

"Well," my mother paused and she stopped screaming at me. "I want you home, so get over here."

"Right, see you later. Bye."

I hung up the phone before she could respond and slid my legs out from underneath Naruto and stood up to stretch.

"Need a ride home?" Uchiha's voice cut into the silence and I nodded.

"Yeah, if you don't mind."

He hn'ed and walked over to grab his keys from the dining room table.

"Let's go." I followed him out of the house, sending a backward glance at Naruto, and walked to the car. He unlocked the doors and I climbed into the passenger seat while he started the ignition. We steadily backed out of the driveway and after giving him my address we drove in silence. The expensive houses faded away in the distance and we arrived at my house in no time.

Sasuke pulled up to the curb and I unbuckled my seatbelt but kept my hand on the door handle as I turned to face him.

"Thanks for, you know, everything."

His dark eyes shone with amusement and his lips quirked up in a smirk.

"No problem."

I hesitated a moment before I opened the door and slid out, shutting the door closed behind me. As I started to walk up my paved driveway, I heard the sound of an automatic window being rolled down.

"Hey, Sorano."

I twisted around in place to see Sasuke leaning over to speak out the passenger window and ignored the way he used my last name.

"See you on Monday." He smirked one last time before he leaned back and drove off.

I shook my head and walked into my house, smiling the whole way. I didn't expect to see my mom standing at the living room window with an excited smile on her face.

"Was that a _boy_?"

"Mom." I groaned and trudged up the stairs to my room, ignoring her voice as she called after me.

"It was wasn't it? My little Lyn is growing up!"

The second I made it to my room I paused in the doorway as I remembered something. I was still wearing Sasuke's clothes…and I had left mine at his house.

_What a drag._

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><p><strong>I made this chapter longer as promised :D Please tell me what you think.<strong>

**Review? :jD**


	5. Of Doom, Gloom, and Rabid Lab Partners

**Sorry for the delay in putting up this chapter! I was on a cruise to the Bahamas and I was temporarily diagnosed with writer's block. Also, school is about to start, so I probably won't be updating as fast as I normally do. Anyway, on to happier things! I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and alerted! You keep me inspired! Also, to Shikamaru'sLove: No I do not mind you reviewing so much :D Plus, I would like to say that the first person who catches a Death Note hint in this chapter get's a virtual cookie! The only thing I have left to say is: ONWARDS**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, the creepiness that is Orochimaru, now do I own plastic baggies. I only own the OC and the plot.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

**Of Doom, Gloom, and Rabid Lab Partners**

When Monday came rolling along, I had this odd feeling of uneasiness. No matter what I did, I couldn't shake it. From the second my alarm clock went off in the morning, to the minute I arrived at school, I knew something bad was going to happen.

Before I left the house, I made sure that I had washed, dried, and neatly folded up the clothes that Sasuke had lent me. They were all wrapped up in a blue plastic baggie and I was mentally preparing myself to return them. When I had walked downstairs that morning I had to literally army crawl past my mother in the kitchen to grab my bookbag and avoid a conversation that I just _knew_ would be embarrassing. She would question me about why I had been at a boy's house until the wee hours of the morning and that was one conversation I did _not_ want to have.

So after literally sliding myself back across the wooden floor of the kitchen, I had then proceeded to run out of the house like a bat out of hell. By the time I had made it to school I was out of breath and my legs shook from exhaustion. I needed to get in shape, badly, especially since I was going to avoid my mother every chance I got. I made it into school just as the morning bell rang and I quickly made my way to my homeroom.

...

"Yo Lyn-chan!"

My name was shouted the second I entered the room and I let a sigh escape my lips. I was starting to get used to the honorific added to the end of my name and that was a bad sign. I was starting to get... attached. My feet dragged across the smooth tile and I hunched my back over, trying to make myself as small as possible. It took a few moments, but I finally arrived at my assigned seat where an eccentric blonde was waiting for me. Today he was wearing a button up shirt so light blue that it appeared to be white, and dark jeans hung loosely on his waist. His hair was spiked up in its normal hairstyle but this time it looked like he had just rolled out of bed and skipped brushing his hair.

I slid into my seat and hooked the strap of my messenger bag onto the back of my chair. Crossing my bare legs, I leaned back and tilted my head up to gaze into Naruto's blue eyes. I forcibly brushed away the annoyance that bubbled up when he sat down on top of my desk.

"Hey Naruto." I greeted dully. I really needed to figure out a way to stop him from hanging out with me, and fast.

"Long time no see, huh?" He wiggled his blonde eyebrows and sent me a playful look. He was obviously referring to the fact that we just saw each other on Saturday and I raised a brow.

"Yeah." I muttered with an eye roll. My sarcasm didn't seem to have any effect what so ever on Naruto because his lips tilted up in a grin.

"So how'd things go with Sasuke?" He slyly nudged me with his elbow.

"Naruto, what are you talking about?" His grin only grew at my confusion and he leaned in as if he were about to tell me a secret. The blue, tear shaped necklace dangling from his neck swung forward with the movement and I leaned back to give myself more personal space. His warm breath tickled my skin and I almost went cross eyed to see his face; he was _that_ close.

"Oh, you know," he began, that stupid sly smile still on his face. "When Sasuke drove you home."

I almost face planted right there. Was there some screw loose in Naruto's head to make him think that _anything_ would ever go on with me and duck butt? Seriously, why would I ever be attracted to a boy who styled his hair like a duck anyway?

"Ne, ne, what happened between you two, eh?" Naruto, who had much to my relief, leaned back to give me back my personal space.

"Nothing happened." I responded dully.

"Don't try to hide-" Thankfully whatever the dumb blonde was about to say got cut off when our homeroom teacher decided to waltz into the room.

"Everyone, please take your seats!" His booming voice shouted over the loud chatter of the room. Teenagers grumbled to themselves and slid into their respective chairs to begin roll call. Naruto left with an "I'll see you at lunch!" and made his way over to his desk. I had never been so grateful for the bell.

...

When lunch came around I tried to hide, I really did, but whatever methods of tracking that Naruto possessed worked because he found me hiding out in the library building. Then, he proceeded to drag me off to what I like to call Hell. The second he thrust open the glass cafeteria doors, every eye was on us once again, either because of the fact that Naruto had my arm in a death grip, or they were wondering why I was with him at all. Their attention seemed to follow us around the room as we got our lunch and even when Blondie here forcibly dragged me over to his table. He sat down next to Kiba and pushed me towards the empty space besides Sasuke. _Great_. The second we sat down, all of the conversations in the room picked up all at once as people went back to what they were discussing before.

Every eye at the table immediately turned to me and I shrank back in my seat.

"Hello Lyn-chan!" A blur of green and black had just appeared at the table and I was almost blinded by the shiny white grin Rock Lee sent my way.

"Hey Lee." To say that I was feeling awkward would have been an understatement. However, after Hinata and Kiba greeted me as well, the tense air at the table disintegrated. Chatter picked back up and a sudden debate of which teacher was the weirdest: Mr. Orochimaru or Mr. Gai, started between Naruto and Neji.

"Oh come on! Do you _know_ how weird that Orochimaru guy is? I had his class just last period and all he does is pet his creepy snakes like some serial killer maniac!" By the end of his sentence, Naruto was wildly waving his arms around. Neji sighed and set his plastic fork down.

"It is obvious that you do not have Gai-sensei as a teacher. He shouts about youth and love ninety-nine percent of the time." Compared to Naruto, Neji was the epitome of complete calm.

"I'd rather have some dude yelling about youth than to have someone who lets freaking _snakes_ slither around the classroom during class!"

"You would take back those words if you spent just a second with Gai-sensei."

"Not only that," Naruto continued as if Neji never said a word. "But don't you find it weird how that Orochimaru guy looks just like Micheal Jack-"

"I will not sit here in silence and let you insult Gai-sensei!" Rock Lee jumped in and cut off whatever it was that Naruto was going to say.

I tuned the rest of the argument out and looked around the table in boredom. Hinata was watching the boys fight while simultaneously twiddling her thumbs in nervousness, Kiba was ignoring everyone, Sasuke was off in his own little world, and both Ino and Sakura were whispering furiously back and forth. I fiddled with the hem of my _Miyavi_ T-shirt and zoned out. Was this what I was going to have to go through every day? How long would it take until Naruto got tired of hanging around me? I was starting to wonder if I was the only one who saw the wrong in all of this.

Naruto was breaking the social ladder by talking to me and hanging around me. The proof of that was by the way everyone had started to stare at me whenever I walked into a classroom. Both Sasuke and Naruto's rapid fan girls would glare at me any time that they saw us together and it was starting to really grate on my nerves. I mean, yeah, it was kind of fun to be the one making the other girl's jealous for once, but it was also starting to get old. I just wanted to know when this would all come to an end because sooner or later, it would all come crumbling down.

"Sorano."

A deep voice brought me out of my thoughts and I turned my head towards Sasuke, only to get a face full of plastic. I leaned back out of reflex and eyed the white plastic bag hovering in front of my face. Reaching out a hand, I gently took it from his grasp and tore my eyes away from it to stare at Sasuke in confusion.

"What is this?" I had to practically yell because the teacher debate had gotten out of hand. Naruto was yelling at Lee who was in return yelling at Neji for insulting Gai-sensei, while Neji was calmly telling the both of them to shut up, only making Naruto yell at Neji about how he was right, which in turn caused Lee to yell at Naruto for yelling at Neji.

"Your clothes," Sasuke replied. "You left them at my house last night."

"Oh, right. Thanks," I muttered. "I have yours too, but they're in my locker."

Duck Butt 'hn'ed' in response and when I turned away to put the bag on the ground, I caught sight of the absolutely murderous looks I was receiving from Ino and Sakura.

_Great. Why must God hate my guts? Why?_

_..._

"Alright class, I have good news."

Lunch had thankfully ended with nothing else happening and I was now currently seated in Chemistry class in which both Naruto and Sasuke were in. _Yay_. Half of the lights in the room were off, giving it a grim setting. Black lab tables were scattered around in no particular order and some students were fiddling with the sinks built into the center of the tables. Various kinds of equipment were set around the room and some contained odd colored mixtures while others were empty. Posters of the Periodic Table were hung up on the pale cream walls and pictures of different kinds of animals were posted on the wooden cabinets that hung above the lab tables.

"You're going to have a new project." Kakashi-sensei stood at the front of the classroom. His spiky silver hair seemed to defy gravity as it stuck up in the air without the help of hairspray of gel. A black mask covered the front of his face from his nose and past his chin. He had once said that it helps to protect himself from the fumes of the different chemicals in the air but I just thought that he was covering up some kind of scar.

"What kind of project?" A girl in the front of the room raised her hand.

"Ah, I was hoping someone would ask," Kakashi-sensei lazily made his way over to his desk and picked up a clipboard. "You will be paired up with another student to create an oral presentation and I will assign each group a different topic. You will each be given a different word and you must define what it means in a scientific explanation. For example, if you had the topic _love_ then you must define what love is and why people fall into its grasp. For this assignment you must fill out a paper in which you describe the steps you took to research your topic and you will be given the choice to either make a Power Point or give an oral speech."

Groans filled the room and another hand went up.

"Do we get to pick our partners?" Sakura Haruno asked as she slid her gaze over to Sasuke, who was staring out into space in boredom.

"No, I will pick your partners," The groans of disappointment only seemed to fuel Kakashi-sensei's spirit. "I have already picked them beforehand, so I will now read them off."

The students in the room shifted in their seats in anticipation and some were looking to their friends in hope. I almost fled the room when I realized that there was a chance that I could be paired up with Naruto...or even worse, Sasuke.

"First up, Kira Yagami and Ino Yamanaka."

I could see Ino grinning all the way from the back of the room. Kira Yagami was the epitome of a pretty bad boy, even compared to Sasuke, and I could practically see the hearts in Ino's blue eyes.

"Chiro Mitskuni and Cho Mitskuni."

The two twin girls high-fived each other and shared smiles. I zoned out the rest of the groups until my name was finally called.

"Lyn Sorano and..."

_Please don't be Naruto. Please don't be Naruto. Please don't be Naruto._

"Sakura Haruno."

My eyes widened in fear and I slowly turned to the pinkette, only to find the darkest glare I had ever seen in my life. If looks could kill, I would have caught on fire and been buried six feet under.

"That should be all of the groups. Now you only have two weeks to complete this project, so I would set times and days with your partners to work on this outside of school. I will be coming around to give you your topics. Good luck."

When I looked up and saw an angry Sakura coming my way, I almost fainted.

_I wish I got Naruto. I wish I got Naruto. I wish I got Naruto!_

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><p><strong>Is that a semi-cliffy I see? Oh no, it is! Please review and tell me what you like, dislike, favorite, etc!<strong>

**Review?~**

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	6. Of Awfully Bad Book Titles and Bowl Cuts

**Hello my beautiful readers! Welcome to chapter six! This is something to celebrate because this is the farthest that I've ever come in one of my stories-shocker I know. Anyway, it has also come to my attention that I need a beta reader, because quite frankly, I need a second opinion on my chapters. So anyone who is interested, please send me a PM. Also, anyone who has any ideas on chapters that I could do, feel free to leave a review about it or drop me a PM. As you may have noticed, yes I have changed around the science project a little bit, so don't worry, you aren't going crazy! So without further ado, chapter six!**

**PS: the first person to find a Kingdom Hearts 2 hint in here gets the next chapter dedicated to them!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, cliche's, nor do I own the awesomeness that is Rock Lee. I only own _How Snakes Improve Our Daily Lives: For Dummies_, the OC, and the Plot.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

**Of Awfully Bad Book Titles and Bowl Cuts**

Do you know that awfully over-used cliche? The one about how the tension in the air is so thick, you could cut it with a knife? Yeah, now I understand why it's so over-used.

I could practically feel the dark glares being sent my way as Kakashi-sensei walked around to the different groups handing out assignments. After Sakura Haruno had stormed her way over to my table with her pink hair flowing behind her and roughly sat down in a lab stool, I had been on the receiving end of some pretty nasty glares. I half contemplated asking Kakashi-sensei for a new partner, but I decided to take the high road and deal with it. Yeah, not the best idea that I've ever had, but it was better than being pared up with Sasuke or even worse, Ino. Ever since lunch, she had been staring at me with this look in her eyes as if she was planning my imminent death. Not a very nice thing to be subjected to for hours on end.

I let my eyes trail around the room in attempt to ignore the fuming pinkette beside me and my eyes landed on Sasuke. He sat slightly slouched over on his stool and had his elbows lazily propped up onto the black lab table in front of him as his bored, onyx eyes watched Kakashi-sensei give him and his partner their topic. There was never a time in my life when I had envied someone more than I envied duck butt right then. He had been paired with Naruto, and even though I hadn't wanted the eccentric blonde as a partner to begin with, I would have given anything to trade with Sasuke.

"Don't even think about it!" A voice hissed, almost as if someone reading my thoughts.

I turned my head to regard Sakura with a look of confusion on my face, only to get a dark glare in return.

"What are you-" I began, only to be cut off.

"Sasuke. Don't even think about moving in on him!" Her emerald eyes flashed in anger and she slid her gaze over to the onyx eyed man. Her short, pink hair fell into her eyes with the movement and she reached a tanned hand up to tuck the loose strands back into her blue headband.

"What makes you think that I would want _him_?" I scoffed at her ridiculous accusation. Honestly, what would possess _anyone_ to go chasing after the Uchiha prodigy.

Sakura turned her head back to me and stared as if I had told her that I ran her cat over with a truck.

"I heard what he said at lunch!" She whispered venomously, making sure to emphasize each and every word.

"You don't understand," I sighed. I _really_ didn't want to get into this with her. "I have absolutely no interest in Uchiha."

"Then why were you at his house?" Sakura's lips curled up as if she had tasted something sour. "Unless of course, you're just so desperate that you flung yourself-"

"Ladies."

We both glanced up to see a smiling Kakashi-sensei hovering over our shoulders. The blue mask fitted over his mouth may have been crumpled as he smiled, but the look in his grey eyes was one of mischief.

"I can see that you two are getting along well," That smile was still on his face as he looked over the clipboard in his hands. "Would you like to know your word?"

Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "You two shall be researching the topic of _Attraction. _That should be an easy one. Now I just suggest that you set up times to work on this outside of school. Good luck!"

I just stared. Attraction. That was our word? Seriously? Now I knew why I was paired up with Sakura Haruno: Kakashi-sensei must have somehow known why she hates me so much. That bastard.

Meanwhile, the silver haired man pranced off to go harass his other victims and left myself and the she-devil alone to ponder what was just said. Now I was going to be stuck working on this project with her outside of school, knowing that every second she spent with me, she would hate me more and more. It was times like these when I cursed myself for ever running into Naruto Uzumaki, because this was all his fault. Sighing, I turned to the brooding girl beside me and put on my best forced smile.

"So when do you want to do this?"

The question seemed to hang in the air as her emerald eyes rolled over me from the top of my head to the bottom of my grey converse shoes. A few moments passed by and I just knew that she was judging me, comparing her expensive pink attire to my casual sweats. Finally, she broke the uncomfortable silence.

"I'm only free Sunday, so that will have to do," Her eyes narrowed and she leaned in to whisper harshly. "But if I even so much as _catch_ you moving in on my Sasuke-kun, I'm going to make you regret ever messing with me."

The bell rang then, announcing the end of class and also the end of that conversation. With one last scathing look, Sakura collected her books and stormed out of the room with Ino in tow. I slowly stood up and slowly stacked all of my books on top of each other before heading out of the classroom. I had never been so grateful to face the crowded hallways of school in my life. As I slowly made my way towards the exit of the school, a thought entered my mind, making me change directions and head for my locker instead. An elbow was held out in front of me as I attempted to push my way through the packs of wild students running down the hallway and it was starting to get difficult. This was why I hated going to my locker after school.

"Hey Lyn-chan!"

A voice shouted over the crowd and I internally winced but did not stop shoving through the mass of people. I heard my name again but this time a hand grabbed onto the arm outstretched in front of me. Glancing upwards, I was almost blinded by a bright grin and my heart started to slow it's racing pace in relief. The hand tugged on my arm and I had no choice but to follow as I was lead to a clear part of the hallway. Finally being released, I sighed and took a breather.

"Thanks, Lee." I smiled up at the green clad boy.

"It was no problem! I will always save a maiden in danger!" His loud voice exclaimed, followed by a thumbs up thrusted in my direction. Rock Lee was dressed in a long sleeved, green turtle neck shirt and light grey jeans hugged his waist, the ends loosening and flaring outwards.

"Maiden?" I wondered out loud.

"Yes! I spotted you in the crowded hallway looking like you were in trouble and I just knew that I had to come to your rescue!" Insert good-guy pose here.

"Thanks then." I laughed, unable to come up with a response to the flamboyant boy.

"You are most welcome," He grinned. "The hallways have thinned out so I deem it now safe! I will see you around, Lyn-chan!"

"Yeah, see you," I shook my head in exasperation. It was only when Lee was halfway down the hallway that an idea came into my mind. "Wait, Lee!"

The bushy browed boy turned around in question as I pushed through the remained people in the hallway to catch up with him.

"What is it?" He asked questioned after I had finally caught up.

"I need a favor." The words flew out of my mouth before I had the time to change my mind. It was nothing drastic, so I knew that Lee would have no problem agreeing to it. He waited patiently for me to explain and I shook my head.

"I just need you to do something for me," I explained and pointed down the hallway. "We just need to go to my locker first."

"Of course!" Insert another good-guy pose right here.

...

"Lyn-chan, I know that it is none of my buisness, but what-"

"Am I doing with Sasuke Uchiha's clothes?" I finished his sentence for him, rolling my eyes before grinning up at him. We were standing in the empty marble hallway in front of my open locker, Lee with a look of confusion and bewilderment on his face, and me with a grin of amusement. Who would have thought that Lee's mind would jump in the gutter after I explained the favor that I needed from him.

"Well, yes." A blush was slowly started to creep onto his cheeks and I rolled my eyes yet again.

"Get your head out of the gutter, Lee. It's nothing like that." He blinked.

"So then why are his clothes in your locker?" He held up the blue plastic baggie and examined its contents as the redness slowly faded from his cheeks. Lee didn't seem to be accusing me of anything, just very curious.

"It's a long story," I sighed. "But I'll give you the short version."

I explained to him just what had happened that weekend, of course leaving out the unnecessary parts, like when I had accidently checked out Sasuke.

"Oh, I understand now," He said after the explanation. "So now you just want to return the clothes that you borrowed."

"Yeah." I nodded, reaching out to slam my locker closed and sling the strap of my messenger bag over my shoulder.

"If you don't mind my asking," Lee began as we made our way down the hallway. "Why don't you return them yourself?"

That was the question that I had been dreading. I knew that if I were to confront Sasuke and hand over his clothes myself, I would turn into a stuttering mess. Not because of the fact that he was Sasuke and had his own fan club, but because I wouldn't know what to say. It would be awkward and no doubt there would be_ someone _around to witness me make a fool of myself.

"Because," I sighed, thinking up a quick explanation. "Sakura Haruno basically told me that she would gut me if she found out I was near her precious Sasuke-kun."

"Ah," He said, buying my fake excuse. "Well do not worry, I shall take on this task with youthfulness!"

I sweat-dropped. Lee sure was a character, but I knew right then that we would end up becoming good friends in the future.

...

"Don't you see, nothing, and I mean _nothing_ can even compare!"

My head snapped up from my place at the librarian's desk and I let my eyes roam over the room, searching for the person who had just shouted. The large, ordinate room appeared to be empty with only the impossibly high stacked bookcases and unoccupied wooden tables to fill the space. The clock that barely hung onto the wall had been the only thing penetrating the silence until that shout had pierced the air. It was strange, seeing as how practically no one ventured into the library after school and the voice had to have come from somewhere.

"You can't even complain so don't try it!"

There it was again. My eyes scanned the room again before narrowing at the flash of movement behind one of the bookshelves. Someone was in here, and they were either talking to themselves, or had a companion. I slid my feet down from off of the desk and sat up, waiting for someone to approach.

"I have to write a ten page research paper! Ten pages!"

Oh no, I knew that voice. It sounded so familiar that I couldn't believe that I hadn't realized who it was sooner.

"Stop complaining." I heard a calm voice answer.

It was at that moment when I finally saw them. They emerged from the shadows of the bookshelves and slowly sauntered their way over towards the front desk, the very desk that I now occupied. There were two of them, one blonde and the other a red-head. The blonde was outfitted in the same light blue shirt he wore earlier that day but the red-head was dressed in dark jeans and a plain white shirt topped off with a black leather jacket.

They were getting close, oh so very close. It was times like these when I really wished I could call upon a portal of darkness and just disappear. I ducked my head and hid behind my dark hair as they finally approached the desk.

"Yo!" The shout was accompanied by the thud of a heavy book being placed onto the wooden desk. "I need to check out this thing."

Rolling my eyes, I reluctantly looked up and rolled my eyes.

"That, my dear Naruto, is called a _book_." I sighed.

"Lyn-chan!" The blonde greeted. "I didn't know you worked here!"

I repressed a sarcastic comment and instead let my eyes slide over to the silent red-head standing beside Naruto.

"Hey." He said in his usual monotone, nodding at me the weird way that guys do whenever they greet each other.

"Hello." I responded, turning my attention to the thick, brown covered book laying in front of me. I examined the title before lifting my head and staring incredulously at the spike haired blonde. Honestly, that boy never ceased to surprise me.

"Naruto," I asked slowly. "Why are you getting a book called _How Snakes Improve Our Daily Lives: For Dummies?" _

There was a pause of silence in which Naruto sheepishly scratched the back of his head with a small chuckle.

"Well you see," He began. "Orochimaru-_sensei _is making us all do a ten page research paper on how snakes improve our lives! I mean seriously, that guy has some screws loose or something!"

Gaara shook his head with a sigh and hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans. I gave Naruto a strange look and checked out the equally strange book. This was seriously a strange day.

"Here," I slid the book towards him. "It's due back in three weeks."

"Thanks, Lyn-chan! You're a life saver!" Naruto grinned and grabbed the heavy looking book. I really didn't know how I was a life saver but took the somewhat-compliment anyway.

"Welcome." I responded, glancing up at the clock hanging off the wall and giving a small smile. It was finally time to go home. Turning around, I reached underneath of the desk and pulled out my black messenger bag before shouldering it. I didn't even get two steps to the door before a voice called out to me.

"Hey, we're all going to the movies tomorrow after school and you should come!"

I turned to peer over my shoulder at the grinning blonde and shook my head.

"I have to work." Was my excuse. I would do anything really, to get away from Naruto and his group of friends for a while.

"Okay! I'll swing by to pick you up here before we go!" That was the last thing I heard before the double doors closed behind me. Honestly, I really, really did _not_ think that the word _no_ was in Naruto Uzumaki's tiny world of a brain.

Great, there was _no_ way to get myself out of this one.

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><p><strong>Review?~ :F<strong>


	7. Of New Plans and Rule Breaking

**Woot, woot! Chapter seven is here! Okay, first thing's first. Despite the fact that it was an anonymous review and I don't know if she'll read this, I want to dedicate this chapter to juneamber for finding the Kingdom Hearts 2 hint in the last chapter. Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed because you guys keep me inspired! Now Onwards!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Porsche's, nor do I own whip cream**

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><p><strong>Chapter Seven:<strong>

**Of New Plans and Rule Breaking**

I'm not normally the forgetful type and nor am I the type to misplace things, but there's always a first for everything I suppose. This morning when I had gotten out of bed, I reached for my glasses laying on the bedside table only to feel the smoothness of the wood. My hand slid all around in vain, knocking over my annoying alarm clock on accident. That was the first bad thing to happen that day. So after a useless hunt for my missing glasses, I had no other choice but to put in my back-up contact lenses. Let's just say that there's a reason that I don't like to wear my contacts. First of all, not only did they make my wide green eyes appear to be too big for my face, but they also happened to make me look completely unrecognizable. At least, that's what I liked to think.

So as I reluctantly trudged down the stairs, I did all I could, yet again, to avoid my mother. Not only would she go off on a tangent and demand details as to why I was at Sasuke's house so late, but she would also gush over the fact that I was wearing my contacts today. My mother absolutely loved it when I wore my contacts instead of my glasses; something about how my "eyes just popped" or whatever. Imagine my surprise when I finally step onto the carpet of the living room to find my mother to be no where in sight. Yeah, that should have been the second hint that today would suck-not that I wanted her to be down there or anything.

Blinking, I shrugged and picked up my messenger bag laying on the mahogany wooden tiles by the front door, glanced out the glass window, and threw my bag over my shoulder and walked out the door. Hopping down the last stone steps leading up to my front door, I casually made my way down the driveway and breathed in the fresh air. It was relatively quiet this morning, as it always is and I took refugee in the peacefulness. This was the only time in the day that my cul-de-sac was silent of all screaming kids and barking dogs and I loved it. I was slowly making my way up the sidewalk when it happened.

A loud gunning of an engine caught my attention but I ignored it because most likely it was some neighbor returning home from a late night rendezvous. As my saying goes: too bad I wasn't that lucky. The sound of the roaring engine was steadily getting closer and I couldn't help but get a mental image of a stalker van driving by and abducting me. An amused smile made its way onto my lips; right, as if. My converse shoes continued to pound onto the pavement and I could just see the high school looming into view when the honking of a horn made me start.

Whirling around, I laid my eyes on a sleek black Porsche 911 Carrera and I blinked in surprise. Why did that car seem so familiar? It wasn't until it slowly eased up beside me on the curve and the tinted passenger window rolled down that I remembered. I couldn't help the sigh that escaped my lips. A blonde head poked out of the open window and grinned at me with excitement and blue eyes trained on me with mischief shining in their depths.

"Lyn-chan!" If possible, he leaned even farther out of the window and a tanned arm slid out to on the side of the car help brace himself.

"Naruto," I returned the greeting. "What are you doing here?"

"Get back in the car before you fall out, dobe." A voice spoke from within the depths of the car. I craned my neck around Naruto's form and laid eyes of the one and only Sasuke Uchiha.

"What are you guys doing here?" I voiced the question once again as I glanced back and forth between the two boys.

"We're here to pick you up!" Blondie exclaimed.

"Pick me up…for what?" I couldn't hide the confusion and wariness in my voice. Since when has Naruto and Sasuke ever gone out of their way to give me a ride to school? Was this going to be a frequent occurrence or something?

"We're going to the mall, duh!" I just stared at him like he was an idiot and deadpanned. Didn't he know that we had school? I shook my head and voiced my thoughts.

"We have school. You know, that building where you learn things." I sighed.

"That's why we're going to the mall," Naruto grinned as if his statement made any sense what so ever. "We're skipping!"

I raised a brow at his reply.

"Skipping?"

"Yeah, you know, not going to school." Now it was his turn to stare at me like I was an idiot.

"Naruto," I rolled my eyes. "I know what skipping is."

"Great! Get in the car then."

A second brow raised to join the first. Were they honestly here to pick me up so that we could skip school? Now I'm not the type of person who stays up late studying for a test or anything, but I've never skipped school before.

"Sorano," The deep voice caught my attention and my gaze shifted until I caught the amused expression of the Uchiha prodigy. "Get in the car."

I paused and eyed the sleek car for a moment, taking in all of my options before finally sighing. If I didn't get into the car, I knew that they would just follow me, or worse, force me to get in. So honestly, what did I have to lose? Giving the school one last hesitant glance over my shoulder, I slowly made my way over to the car and watched as Naruto clambered out. He sent me a grin and popped the front seat up, gesturing for me to get into the car. Hesitating, I finally crawled into the back of the car and slid into the leathered seat. The front seat popped back into place as Naruto got back in the car, shut the door and I clipped my seatbelt into place as Sasuke pulled away from the curb. I honestly couldn't believe that I was here right now.

"So why are we skipping anyway?" I reluctantly voiced the question. I at least wanted to know why we were committing a crime.

"Because." Naruto shrugged and my eye twitched at his vague response.

"Do you have anything better to do?" Sasuke questioned from the driver's seat.

"I…guess not." I sighed.

"Scared you'll get in trouble?" I caught his amused expression in the review mirror and I defensively crossed my arms over my chest.

"No," I responded. "Why would I be?"

"Hn." That was the only answer I got and I relaxed back into the comfortable seat and watched the scenery of Konoha blur past. I was so going to get in trouble from this and I just knew it.

**…**

"We're here!"

"Obviously, dobe."

We had just pulled into a parking space and Naruto had already jumped out of the car, completely forgetting the fact that I was still in the back and had no other way to get out. I couldn't help but sigh yet again at his stupidity. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I leaned forward to yell out of the open window at the energetic blonde, only to jump out of surprise when the driver's seat popped forwards. Sliding over to the other side of the backseat, I crawled my way out of the car and uttered a quick thanks to Sasuke who only smirked in return.

"Come on, let's go!" Naruto exclaimed, already starting to walk towards the looming building in front of us.

The parking lot was relatively empty, seeing as how it was ten o'clock in the morning on a Tuesday. Trailing behind Sasuke, my eyes involuntarily drifted towards the back of his head. The first thought that popped into my mind was whether or not his hair was naturally styled like that, but the second thought that entered my mind got me thinking. Why was I here, honestly? I mean, I know that they practically kidnapped me into going with them, but why would this guy, the Uchiha prodigy, waste his time and reputation by hanging out with me despite the fact that it was Naruto who always dragged me along?

It wasn't until the cool air hit me that I realized that we had entered the mall. I guess that I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed. It was eerie, to say the least, to be in a mall that had barely anyone in it what-so-ever. The beige walkways were completely empty except for a few elderly people who had on gym outfits and fitted shoes who were steadily making their way across the whole mall. The stores stood out with their unique signs and the employees looked completely bored out of their minds as we passed by.

"So where do you wanna go?" The loudmouthed Naruto finally broke the silence.

"I don't really care." I shrugged while letting my eyes trail over a jewelry store as we walked past.

"Let's go in here." Sasuke suggested with a smirk pulling up his lips. I followed behind him and almost started when I read the sign that hung above the extremely colorful store.

**The Costume Galleria**

We entered the store and mounds of costumes stretched out for what seemed like miles. Hues of pinks, blues, oranges, and yellows seemed to take over the store and I couldn't help but blanch. Really?

"Hello and welcome!"

The three of us turned to see a small petite, elderly woman leaning over the counter with a pile of multi-colored fabric in her hands. Her raven black hair was pulled back into a neat pony tail atop her head and swished back and forth with each movement she made.

"Hello." I returned the greeting.

"Please let me know if you need help with anything!" She smiled and returned back to her work after we all promised to do just that.

"Come on." Sasuke urged as the smirk found its way back onto his pale pink lips. Rolling my eyes, I watched as the two guys split up and each went different directions before turning and walking down an isle of costumes. I let my fingertips graze over the countless masks varying from Jason to a grinning one toothed witch. Letting myself get lost in the rainbow of colors and the smell of plastic, I slowly made my way down a random isle. It was surprising really, how I'd never noticed this store because it was quite large, but then again it wasn't like I went to the mall every weekend with a group of friends either.

"**Rawr!**"

I blinked, turning my head to stare incredulously at the figure that had just jumped out of a rack of costumes.

"Naruto?" I asked, unable to hid the tremor that shook in my voice.

"Hahaha, did I scare you, Lyn-chan?" He exclaimed from behind the yellow fabric that covered his face and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I burst out laughing, having to bend and hold my stomach to stop myself from falling onto the floor.

"Naruto," I forced out between breaths. "Why are you in a giant banana costume?"

The giant, boy shaped banana shrugged and I straightened up as I finally caught my breath.

"Ehh, why not?"

Shaking my head at him, I let out a few more chuckles. If only I had a camera: total Kodiak moment.

"You know," Naruto began, his voice filled with curiosity. "I've never seen you wear contacts before."

"That's because I don't." I responded to the sudden change in topic.

"You-"

"Sorano, Naruto."

Whatever the blonde was going to say was immediately cut off as Sasuke rounded the corner of the isle. He paused, taking in Naruto for a moment before shrugging it off and sighing.

"Let's go somewhere else." Naruto stretched with a yawn. I shrugged and Sasuke agreed and I followed him out of the isle, ignoring when Naruto called out to us.

"Hey, come back! Someone needs to help me un-zipper this thing!"

It wasn't until me and Sasuke were almost out of the store when we got the scare of a lifetime. He suddenly came to an abrupt halt in front of me and I rammed straight into his T-shirt clad back. Stumbling back, I lifted a hand to rub at my now sore nose.

"What was that for-" My complaint was cut off as a hand grabbed onto my arm and roughly yanked me behind a rack of clothing. Sasuke crouched beside me and when I didn't follow his lead, he tugged on my arm.

"Get down."

"What?" I looked around the store in confusion. "Why?"

My question answered itself when my eyes landed on a face that looked vaguely familiar. A man stood at the entrance at the store and was slowly making his way towards the counter, his long dark hair swaying behind him. The man's pasty white skin seemed to almost glow under the cheap fluorescent lights and I gave a startled gasp when I finally realized who it was. I immediately crouched down beside Sasuke and sent him a surprised look.

"Isn't that Orochimaru-sensei? What is he doing here?"

"I don't know." Sasuke replied.

"That's weird." I muttered, peeking through the clothes to watch as Orochimaru casually conversed with the old lady standing at the. Just what was that man doing here?

"We need to get out of here."

I nodded in agreement to the Uchiha's words and his grasp on my hand changed as he edged closer to the end of the clothes' rack.

"Run on three." Sasuke muttered.

"Got it." I whispered in response.

"Ready?" He began. "One, two, three."

We took off, Sasuke dragging me along by the arm as we ran for it, ducking behind clothes racks and crouching beneath low curtains to avoid the creepy gaze of Orochimaru. By the time that we had made it out of the store and continued to run through the empty walkways until we were out of sight of the store that Sasuke finally let go of my arm. Panting, I turned to look behind us and groaned out loud as a thought hit me.

"Great, we forgot Naruto."

...

"I can't believe that you guys left me!"

We were now currently sitting in a booth inside of a cozy café located near the back of the mall. It was a small space and I couldn't help but wonder why we always ended up in cramped restaurants. Dark grey tiles lay on the floor and was accompanied by the mahogany red walls. A counter took up the space to the left of the room and mouthwatering pastries of every kind imaginable sat perfectly behind the glass and a bored looking woman stood at the cash register with a blank expression on her face. To the right, a tiny hallway extended out into bathrooms and everywhere in between sat dark wooden tables.

"It wasn't on purpose." I responded while blowing on my steaming cup of hot chocolate. Each of us had passed on the sweets-surprising for Naruto-and instead ordered coffee and hot chocolate instead.

"With Orochimaru-sensei!" Naruto continued as if I never said a word.

"You'll get over it." Sasuke chimed in his opinion from across the booth while he steadily drank his black coffee.

"Gah! He's so weird. What was he doing out of school anyway?" The blonde questioned.

"Maybe that woman was his girlfriend or something." I shrugged and sipped out of my mug.

"Ugh," Naruto shuddered. "How could _he_ get a girlfriend? He's so weird!"

"And so we've established." Sasuke sighed.

"Shut up! No one asked you!" Naruto pouted and using his spoon, he childishly flicked some whip cream at the Uchiha. It flew through the air before landing on Sasuke's blemish free cheek, splattering white everywhere and causing duck butt's eyebrow to twitch.

"Idiot."

I expected for Sasuke to just brush it off, but instead, much to my surprise, he grabbed the whip cream canister from the middle of the table and sprayed it all over Naruto in an un-Sasuke like move. My mouth dropped as I eyed the now white Naruto and I blanched as Sasuke placed the can back in the middle of the table with a smirk quirking up on his lips. The blonde just stared wide eyed in surprise but then sent a glare at me when a laugh burst from my lips. His face was completely covered in whip cream and it was such a funny sight that by the time I registered the tanned arm snatching up the can, I was completely soaked with whip cream. Now I was staring wide eyed while Naruto laughed his butt off. Oh karma, why must you hate me?

In response, I scooped up some of the cream from my now stained shirt and hurled it at the laughing blonde, only to have him duck and I watched as the whip cream hit Sasuke straight in the face. I stared at me emotionlessly before his eyes slowly slid over to the can in Naruto's hands. I followed his gaze and as if reading his mind, we both jumped for the whip cream bottle at the same time and ended up tackling Naruto to the whip cream covered floor.

"Hey!" Naruto screamed as we all landed on the floor.

It wasn't until a throat was cleared when we looked up to see a sturdy mall cop in a white uniform standing over us with his arms crossed and a stern expression on his face.

"You three are coming with me."

And that is how we ended up spending three hours in the mall jail. I just _knew_ that something was going to happen that day.

_My mom is going to kill me._

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><p><strong>Review? :X<strong>


	8. Idiotic Tendancies

**Hello my fellow readers! How are you? Okay, so I totally just typed this story up with no breaks what-so-ever, haha. Anyway, I've just discovered that I have an obsession with the game Halo Wars and I can't stop playing it! Does anyone else have this problem? Anyway, on to the chapter! Enjoy. (:**

**PS: Sorry in advance for any typo's. I really need to get a beta reader. Also, if you want to see the Book Cover for this story, the link is in my profile.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, cell phones, or the sexy awesomeness of Sasuke. I only own the plot and OC.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

**Idiotic Tendencies**

"Do you think it worked?"

"What the hell is _**wrong **_with you? Are you _insane?_"

"Idiot. How well did you even think this through?"

"Heh, heh…I came up with it on the spot. But come on, don't look at me like that! At least it worked!"

"You…really are an idiot, Naruto." I grumbled out and shifted around in the cramped space so that I could at least attempt to get comfortable. Pushing a wooden broom handle out of my face, I sighed and leaned back against a soft woolen blanket hanging from a small shelf above. I felt movement beside me and glanced in that direction only to see a dull outline of a body.

"Move over a little." The outline demanded and after blinking for a moment, a look of disbelief spread over my face.

"Move _where_? There's no space in here."

"Hn." The voice grunted and I felt something shift to my right and then soft fabric brushed against my arm as Sasuke pressed his side into mine. I could feel the warmth radiating off of his body and a light blush dusted my cheeks before I mentally shook my head. It wasn't the time to be a blushing schoolgirl.

"Soo..do you think it worked?" This voice came from somewhere in front of me and I tried my best not to raise my voice in anger.

"We're in a _broom closet_. Do you _think _it worked?" Despite trying my best not to get angry, I still couldn't mask the irritation in my voice. All of this was Naruto's fault and low and behold, I had gotten caught up in another one of his idiotic schemes. When I woke up this morning, I never imagined that I was going to be stuffed into a claustrophobic utility closet with a blonde idiot and a stuck up duck butt. All because of a _stupid_ math test.

**…**

_Earlier That Day_

To say that my mother was mad about the fact that she had to bail me out of a mall jail would have been an understatement. She was livid to the point where I was starting to fear that fire would spew out of her mouth. During the whole drive home she yelled at me for missing school and how she wanted me to get out more, but not to the point where I was arrested. Granted, she seemed to oddly calm down at the fact that I had been alone with_ two_ boys and I was starting to doubt her sanity. I mean, what parent would be _glad_ that their daughter skipped school with two handsome boys? What was the world coming to?

So I had ended up sitting on the plush beige couch in the living room as my mom raved and ranted some more. I lowered my head and buried my bare feet into the white shag carpet covering the wooden floors.

"What were you thinking? Is there something you're not telling me? I mean, this isn't the first time that you've been out with boys and I have reason to believe that they are they same ones as before. It's not that I don't want you to be hanging out with members of the opposite sex-"

"Mom!" I shouted over her little speech and blushed at her words.

"What? All I'm saying is that I don't want you getting in so much trouble," She stated, looking me straight in the eye to make sure that I was listening to her. "Do you understand?"

"Yes." I mumbled, lowering my head once more in attempt to brush off the embarrassment.

"Good." She huffed, standing there for a moment before turning on her heel and marching up the stairs. As soon as I heard her bedroom door close, I fell back onto the comfy couch with a groan and threw an arm across my face. Why me? This was all Naruto's fault; him and his idiotic stupidity. If it weren't for him I wouldn't be in this mess, or any mess what-so-ever. My life used to be simple: wake up, go to school, work at the library, and then go home and finish up any left over homework. Some could argue that it was a boring life to lead but I begged to differ. I liked simplicity and I liked the solitude that come with the territory because I didn't have to worry about what I was going to wear to school the next day to impress a boy, or the rumors spread from friends behind your back. Nothing; just peace and quiet.

So why was my life being altered by a stupid blonde haired kid and his friends? Now I have to worry about trying to keep a conversation going and how to stay on the good side of Sakura Haruno. It seemed like no matter what I did, I wouldn't be able to escape them and it was getting hard to come up with excuses to ignore them. Why I didn't just walk by without responding to Naruto's hello's was a question that I wanted the answer to. I wasn't a mean person so I couldn't just tell tem to shove it where the sun doesn't shine. I was starting to think that maybe they had the possibility to become my friends, Sakura and Ino excluded of course. It was an odd thought really, because I hadn't had friends that I could just talk to about anything for quite a while. Did I really want to have that again? As if answering my thoughts, my phone vibrated in my pocket and I sighed. Reaching into my front pocket, I slid out my phone and eyed the glass screen.

**Incoming Call:** Unknown Number

I stared at the phone until it stopped vibrating in my hand and the sudden silence that took over the room was deafening. Whoever had called must have been a telemarketer or something and I let my arm fall to my side with a sigh and stared up at the ceiling. The room was lit up with the last remaining rays of the sun as it began to set beyond the horizon and the ceiling danced with shadows. Hues of red, pink, orange, and yellow shaded the four plain walls and bounced off of the huge mirror that hung on the wall opposite of me. I let my eyes trail over the large room and stared blankly at the blackened television screen. The remote lay on the glass coffee table between my couch and the one on the other side of me but I was too lazy to reach for it.

Silence reigned over the house until the cell phone in my hand started to vibrate yet again. Shaking myself back into reality, I held up the silver phone to my face and read the words on the screen yet again.

**Incoming Call:** Unknown Number

I let it continue to ring for a moment before I reluctantly slid a thumb across the glass and held it up to my ear.

"Hello?" I grumbled. It had better not have been a telemarketer asking me to buy their product.

"Hello, Lyn-chan!" An excited masculine voice greeted me from the other end of the phone.

"Who's this?" I sat up a little and propped myself up on my elbows to get a better hold on the phone.

"You do not recognize my voice?" The speaker cried in horror and I realized who it was.

"Lee…?" I questioned hesitantly. Why would he call me randomly, or better yet, how did he somehow get my number?

"Ah! You do recognize my voice!" It seemed that I had guessed correctly and I couldn't help the half smile that tugged on the corners of my lips. If anything, Rock Lee had to have been one of my favorite people out of Naruto's group, placing him right beside the shy Hinata. He was so easy going and was cheerful all of the time and he was most definitely not an idiot.

"Of course," I responded. "But um, Lee?"

"Yes?" He answered without hesitation.

"How did you get my phone number?" There was no hiding the questioning in my voice and I pushed myself up until I was sitting fully on the couch.

"Oh, that was easy!" He exclaimed and I could picture the bright smile on his face. "I asked Naruto for it!"

"You…," I paused in disbelief and irritation. How had Naruto somehow gotten my phone number? Was he seriously stalking me or something or did he just find out from someone else? Not that there were very many people that had it. "How does he have it?"

"I have no idea." Lee answered my question.

"Great." I muttered.

"Isn't it?" He asked, completely oblivious to my obvious sarcasm. I was starting to think that this boy didn't know what sarcasm was. "Anyway, I called because I heard about what happened." The last part was a whisper and my eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

"About…what happened?"

"Yes. About what happened with going to jail! The second I heard that you, Naruto, and Sasuke had been arrested, I just had to call and make sure that you were okay."

Lee honestly cared about whether or not I was okay. I smiled and crossed my legs underneath of me. That was why Lee was my favorite.

"I'm okay, thanks. You didn't have to call you know, you could have just asked me at school tomorrow."

"I know! But I wanted to call anyway. Did you get in trouble?"

"Sadly, yes," I sighed. "But not a whole lot. My mom just lectured me and then dropped the whole thing."

"Just like that?" He asked with surprise filling his voice.

"Yep, just like that."

"I see," He responded but then paused as I heard voice call his name in the background. "Ah, I must go now, but I shall see you In school tomorrow!"

"See you." I repeated back before the line went dead. With a sigh, I slid my phone back into my pocket and made my way up the stairs and into my homey room, making sure to step over the dirty clothes lingering on the floor and collapsed into my messy bed with a huff. I was so not looking forward to going to school the next day because I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen.

…

"So Lyn-chan, did you get in any trouble?"

Those were the first words said to me when I entered my Trigonometry class and I sighed when I looked up to see a familiar blonde sitting on top of my desk. It was hectic in the room as students sat on top of desks or backwards in their chairs to talk to their tight nit circle of friends. Chatter filled the air despite the early hour and I had to navigate through the room to avoid tripping over someone's personal belongings.

"You could say that." I grumbled out when I reached the desk and I couldn't help but let my eyes wander over to the onyx-eyed guy leaning against a desk beside mine. A smug grey long sleeved shirt fit snugly over his toned torso and he had thrown a dark jacket over top of it. Dark blue jeans adorned his legs and I couldn't help but realize that he always wore dark colors, white excluded. I never saw him in any bright color and I was starting to think that he didn't own any. His raven black tresses hung in his face in his usual style and the back of his hair was as spiked as always.

"No fair!" A whining voice made me shift my eyes back over to a pouting Naruto. "Granny Tsunade murdered me."

Tsunade was the mayor of the town and she had taken Naruto in when he was younger. I never figured out why but he has lived with her ever since. She was one woman that you never wanted to get on the bad side of and you definitively didn't want to beat her at gambling because she took it very seriously. Some people argued that she wasn't fit to lead the town because she had somewhat of a drinking problem, but they never tried to fire her because she really came out to help the people in their time of need.

"Yeah, well." I shrugged and ignored him. Since when have the two of them ever sat in the front of the room with me? They always lounged in the back as if they were bored out of their minds, and in most cases Naruto actually was, and ignored everyone else.

"Sasuke didn't get in trouble either!" He continued to whine, finally gaining the attention of Sasuke who had been oddly zoned out for the past few minutes.

"That's not my fault, dobe. You're the one who yelled at the mall cop." The Uchiha replied before turning his onyx eyes on me in acknowledgement. I gave him a half smile in return before turning my attention to Naruto.

"You need to get off of my desk so that I can study." I bluntly said.

"Study?" The blonde gave me a confused look and stared at me as if I were some kind of alien creature. "For what?"

"For the Trig test." I deadpanned. There was no way that I was going to pass that test unless I studied because math was definitely not my favorite subject.

"Test?" Naruto still had that look of confusion on his face. "What test?"

"The one we're having today." I spoke slowly. It took a moment, but that look of confusion finally fled from his face, only to be replaced by fear.

"We have a test today? Why didn't anyone tell me?" He panicked and shot up off of my desk.

"Idiot." Sasuke sighed and closed his eyes in exasperation.

"No way! I can't take that test or I'll fail and then Granny Tsunade will kill me!" The blonde's eyes seemed to nearly pop out of his head as he waved his arms in panic.

"Why don't you study then?" I asked, shifting to the side to avoid being hit by a flailing arm.

"Because there's not enough time!" Naruto yelled. After a few moments he suddenly stopped and a grin spread across his face. "Wait, I got it!"

"Got what?" I muttered in slight irritation. I just wanted to study so that I wouldn't fail that class.

"I know how to not fail the test!" Naruto laughed.

"And how would that be?" Was my dry response.

"Heh, heh, heh. Just wait here." I stood with Sasuke and watched as Naruto's blonde head ran out of the room and out of sight. I couldn't help but sigh. What could he have honestly been up to now? I stole a glance at Sasuke to see that he had that odd zoned out look on his handsome face yet again. Now what was up with that? Duck butt never zoned out, looked bored yes, but he had never completely checked out and I couldn't help but stare in curiosity. His eyes were glazed over as he looked straight ahead and he hadn't even bothered to brush the hair out of his eyes. But finally, as if sensing my gaze, he came back to reality and met my eyes with a raised eyebrow as if silently questioning my staring. I didn't get a chance to respond because right at that moment, a loud, blaring alarm pierced through the air and the lights on the walls started to flash.

Everyone started at once and stood abruptly from their chairs with excited chatter as they filed out of the room. I shared a look with Sasuke before slowly following the students mobbing out into the now crowded hallways. It wasn't until I was squished between two yelling girls when a hand suddenly latched onto my arm and pulled me backwards. I let out a squeak and stumbled over my feet until my back hit something sturdy. Startled, I jerked my head around to see the dark hair of Sasuke and I didn't have the chance to voice my confusion when he abruptly turned around and dragged me against the tide of students.

"What are you doing?" I attempted to shout over the crowd. He must have heard me because he turned his head around slightly at my words.

"This way." Was all he grunted out before he turned his head back around. It took a while, but we finally made it out of the throng of people and emerged into an empty hallway. The echo's of excited students could still be heard as they bounced down the hallway and I turned to Sasuke but was interrupted before I could force any words out of my mouth.

"Heh, heh, that was awesome! I can't believe it actually worked!" Someone shouted down the hallway.

I twisted around and Sasuke finally dropped my arm as Naruto came into view. He had a big grin stretched across his sun kissed face and he practically skipped down the hallway in excitement.

"That was you?" I nearly screamed.

"Yep. Great idea, huh?" Naruto gently nudged my side when he finally reached us. I couldn't form a coherent sentence to respond and luckily I didn't have to. A loud click-clacking echoed from down the hallway and all three of us instantly froze. There were only two possible choices of who it could be: a straggling student or a teacher. Either way we would be caught and the only choices that we had was to run back down the hallway in hope that we could catch up with the mob of students that had to be long gone by now, or we could hide somewhere until the students filed back in. We all looked at each other before deciding to go with the ladder.

"Over here!" Naruto whisper/yelled as he ran over to a door and held it open. Without thinking, I rushed in with Sasuke trailing behind me and Naruto coming in right after, shutting the door behind him. It wasn't until later that we found out that the door locked from the outside.

**….**

_Present time_

That was how I ended up stuck in a utility closet with those two.

"Man, are we _ever_ going to get out of here?" A voiced whined from somewhere in front of me. "I'm starving."

"Maybe if you wouldn't have trapped us in here, you could have made it to lunch." I didn't even try to hide the irritation in my voice.

"I told you," He cried. "It's not my fault."

"You're the one who didn't want to take the test, idiot." Sasuke finally joined in the conversation and I started when his voice suddenly came from right beside me. I had forgotten that he had squished himself up against me. With a sigh, I let my eyes trail up towards the ceiling and closed my eyes.

"Naruto?" I said quietly after silence had taken over the room for a moment.

"What?" He answered.

"When we get out of here, I'm going to kill you." I said emotionlessly.

"W-what?" He stuttered.

I was _never_ going to inform him of any kind of upcoming test _ever_ again.

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><p><strong>Review? :3<strong>


	9. Dangers of Snake Men, Part 1

**'Ello my lovies! It's been a little while, hasn't it? With school and my other story, Eyes of the Shinigami, I've been a tad bit busy. I guess it also doesn't help that I've been recently diagnosed with a severe head condition called Procrastinitus. For all of those who don't know, Procrastinitus is when someone procrastinates soo badly that they begin to plan out when, how, where, and why they will put off their next project. Anyway, enough stalling, onwards!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, the Ocean, or bushy eyebrows. I only own the OC's and the plot.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>

**Dangers of Snake Men, Part 1**

I had honestly never thought about what rich people spend their money on. I mean, sure, the few stereotypical thoughts came to mind whenever someone breeched the subject, like huge mansions and summer homes in Paris, or picturesque statues that sit on perfectly trimmed lawns. Granted, I usually wasn't one to hang around anyone with enough pocket change to buy a small world country, but I knew enough to know when someone was going a little too far over the edge. When both Naruto and Sasuke showed up on my doorstep this morning with duffel bags slung over their shoulders, I knew that nothing good could come of it.

It was Saturday morning and I was just lounging around in my messy bedroom with my comfortable pajamas still on and my dark hair was pulled up into a messy bun at the nape of my neck. The small television that rested heavily on my dark wooden dresser was on and playing re-runs of Tom and Jerry. Honestly, I never really got into that show, but it was the only thing that was on that wasn't an infomercial, seeing as how it was only around ten in the morning. I lay spread eagle on my twin bed and the covers were half hanging off of the edge as I lazily gazed at the midnight blue painted ceiling. When I was a kid, my dad had gotten me these glow-in-the-dark plastic stars that hung unto your wall with this special glue, and back then that was the most coolest thing that I had ever seen. We had cleared out the furniture and painted the ceiling so that it would mimic the nighttime sky, and every night it would go up in ablaze of tiny little fireflies. Even though it happened years ago, I still hadn't taken them down. Some might call it childish, but I wanted to be able to hold onto those memories for as long as I could.

Sighing, I turned my attention back to the television and blankly watched as the show turned to commercial. Infomercial after infomercial played over and over and I had to stop myself from screaming of boredom. Finally getting sick of it, I dragged myself out of bed and into the adjoining bathroom to take a long hot shower in attempt to wake myself up. Most people slept in late on weekends, but with my mind so used to getting up in the morning, I couldn't sleep past ten-thirty. As I walked into the bathroom, a shiver rippled down my spine as my bare feet made contact with the icy cold black and white tiles. The room was relatively modern: a bathtub and shower combo, a dark grey sink with matching marble counters, warm brown paint on the walls, and a mirror that also worked as a medicine cabinet. As I slowly trudged my way across the space and towards the inviting shower, I grabbed a towel from the space underneath of the cabinets and hung it over the shower rod. For some reason, a few years ago my mom had decided to buy me a bright orange shower curtain. Not only did it completely clash with the color scheme of the room, but it was also a constant reminder of a certain blonde haired boy.

As I passed by the sink, I spotted my glasses sitting on the edge and after a second of deliberation, I decided to leave them there and opt for contacts. It wasn't that I cared what I looked like, honestly, but it was much easier to go throughout the day without having to worry about pushing up my glasses every two seconds. Another sigh escaped from my lips and I turned on the hot water to the point where it was almost scalding. My mother used to complain about the fact that I left no hot water left after I took showers, but if the water wasn't really hot, than I couldn't stand it. I didn't take long, only about fifteen minutes and I stepped back out and shivered as a cold breeze brushed my skin. Breathing through my mouth to stop my teeth from chattering, I made my way out of the steamy bathroom and towards my closet, making sure to avoid tripping over the hazardous clothes splayed on the floor. I chose a relatively casual outfit: just a long sleeved shirt and jean Capri's. It wasn't until I was fully dressed that I heard a voice pierce through the calm thoughts in my head.

"Lyn, honey?"

Sighing, I slowly made my way over to my bedroom door and opened it so that I had just enough space to shout down the stairs.

"What?" My voice seemed to echo throughout the house.

"You have some friends at the door, dear." My mother's voice drifted up to me from the bottom of the staircase. I blinked slowly in confusion.

"Who?" I called back as I searched my mind. Who would honestly show up at my house, at ten-something in the morning on a Saturday? My eyes slowly widened as a thought crossed my mind, but I dismissed it almost as soon as it came.

"Two handsome boys," I could hear her contained excitement from all the way up there. "One's blonde, and the other one has dark hair, if that helps."

No. No, no, no, no. They could not be there, especially when I was trying to relax. It was enough that I had to deal with an obnoxious Sakura tomorrow and I couldn't deal with those two, not after my brain cells had died from stupidity all week.

"Tell them I'm sick!" I half shouted, half begged.

"I am not lying so that you can avoid hanging out with two perfectly good looking boys!~" My mother practically sang. "So either come down here, or I'll send them up there~. She was an evil, evil person.

Glancing behind me at my messy room, I made the split decision and reluctantly made my way down the stairs. When I got to the bottom, my mother was waiting for me as she bounced excitedly on the balls of her feet. Honestly, she was such a kid sometimes. I glanced at the door where bright sunshine radiated into the room and shuffled my feet and reached out until I could feel the cool brass knob under my hand.

"I'll be in the kitchen~" My mother grinned at me before rushing out of the living room and around the corner.

"You can do this." I murmured to myself and pulled the door open. There before me stood two extremely attractive guys and I had to stop myself from slammed the door in their faces. Naruto, like always, had a dazzling grin on his face as his baby blue eyes lit up with excitement. He stood before me in a fitting white shirt that successfully showed off his toned stomach and dark grey cargo shorts with a pair of matching grey flip-flops. As I turned my eyes to his companion, I noticed that, unlike the happy-go-lucky blonde, this one stood with a look of absolute boredom on his face. Sasuke's glossy hair was in it's usual style but I was surprised by the fact that he had on a long sleeved shirt with actual color. It was a soft blue and the fabric looked like expensive cashmere and I guessed that if I touched it, it would feel like a baby's blanket. That wasn't what made my heart skip a beat, though. It was the fact that they both had duffel bags slung over their shoulders. Naruto's was a bright yellow, whereas Sasuke's was a brooding grey. The blonde opened his mouth to speak, but I rudely cut him off.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"Hello to you, too," Naruto grumbled. "But anyway, we're here to say hello!"

"Um," I raised a questioning brow and nodded at his bag. "Okay. Are you guys going somewhere or something?"

"We're going on my family's yacht for the extended weekend." I turned my attention to Sasuke and blinked as his dark eyes focused on me. I had completely forgotten that we didn't have school on Monday.

"Well, have fun." I said dryly. It didn't surprise me honestly, that he had a yacht. Stupid rich people.

"Don't sound so disappointed," Naruto grinned and lightly punched me in the shoulder. "You're coming with us!"

"I'm doing what now?" Another raised brow. I racked my memory to try and remember if I had agreed to go on any such trip. Nope, nothing.

"You're coming with us. Aren't you excited?"

"I can't go." I lied and attempted to shake off the annoyance.

"We already asked your mom," Sasuke said with a smirk. "She said it was fine. More than fine, actually." Bastard.

"Yeah, well," I stalled, thinking fast. "I have to do a project with Sakura tomorrow, so I can't go."

"Sakura's away for the weekend," The smirk widened. "She won't be back until Monday night." I silently cursed in my mind. Really, really?

"So hurry up already and get packed!" Naruto practically pushed me back into my house. "We'll wait down here. And oh, don't forget to pack a bathing suit because we're staying at an island resort."

With his constant nudging, I finally and slowly made my way up the stairs and into my bedroom. All weekend on a yacht and an island, with those two? How was it that I was always around to conveniently be forced into their shenanigans? Not only that, but I had to walk around in a bathing it while those two strutted about with their perfectly toned bodies? I let out an audible groan the second I made it into my room. Why was it always me? Scowling at nothing in particular, I stomped over to my closet and grabbed my purple and white flower printed duffel bag and threw it on the floor. I was way past the limit of irritation as I scurried around and threw clothes and necessities into the bag. The thought to say no crossed my mind, but it left as quickly as it came because despite my opinion, my mother would force me into the car if necessary. I honestly didn't know why she had such a huge obsession with me and going out with guys all the time. Perhaps she just wanted me to branch out and get friends, or maybe she was just insane. Pausing in thought, I decided to go with the ladder.

After throwing my phone charger in my bag, I walked over to my dresser and opened the top drawer. Different colored bathing suits of all shapes and sizes filled the space and I began to shift through them, opting out the super revealing ones. See, my mother used to be obsessed with beaches and pools, so she always bought me loads of unnecessary bathing suits and I just left them in my drawer to collect dust. Sighing through my nose, I examined each piece before throwing it out of the way. What was I supposed to wear to an _island resort_? Just as the thought crossed my mind, my eyes caught a piece of black fabric and I reached in and pulled it out. It was a modest two-piece with board shorts and smiled slightly. That would do. I tossed it into my bag before zipping it closed and slinging the strap onto my shoulder, making sure to slip on a pair of flip-flops on my way down the stairs. When I saw my mom waiting for me near the door, I shot her a mean glare.

"Why did you say I could go?" I whisper-shouted.

"Because, Lyn," She stared me down with her piercing green eyes. "You need to get out more, hang out with more people your own age." For a second there, she lost her childishness and turned serious.

"I do hang out with people my own age."

"Like who? Lyn, I don't want you holed up in your room anymore," She continued. "It's not healthy."

"But mom-" I tried to plead.

"But nothing, Lyn," She placed her hands on her hips. "You're going on this trip and you are going to have fun, trust me." I studied her for a moment, before I sighed in defeat.

"Fine." I grumbled.

"Good," She transformed back into her happy-go-lucky self. "Have fun, and don't be afraid to break a few laws!" I held in my retort to that and rolled my eyes, turning on my heel to head for the door.

"Bye, honey!" She called after me.

"Yeah, yeah." I murmured as I approached the door and swung it open. Naruto, who had been leaning on it, stumbled backwards as he lost his balance and almost knocked me over.

"Whoa!" He yelled in surprise, waving his arms in the air before finally regaining his balance. Sasuke turned from his spot on the porch and regarded me with his dark eyes.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Let's go."

"This is going to be _so_ awesome!" Naruto laughed and swung an arm over my shoulders as we walked down the sidewalk and towards Sasuke's car. "Believe it!"

_I'll believe it when I see it, Naruto._

...

I had never really seen a yacht up close before, especially not one as big as Sasuke's. Sure, I'd seen them on television or in movies, but never had I been inside of one. As we pulled up to the docks, I sucked in a silent gasp. The sun was perfectly high in the sky and a few clouds dotted the horizon, some gliding over the sun to create a moment of shade. The docks weren't small. But they weren't huge either, and boats of all shapes and sizes were lined up like silent warriors waiting to go into battle. They ordered from canoes, to fishing boats, to huge yachts, all expanding down the length of the wooden posts. As we clamored out of the car, Sasuke popped the trunk so that we could get our bags from the stuffed space. I got wrestled mine out first and as I waited for the other two, I turned to face the water. The smell of salt filled the air and I breathed in deeply and watched the calm waves beat against the docks. Somewhere off in the distance, a constant bell was ringing, and I could just make out the silhouette of a light house in the distance.

"Ready to go?" A masculine voice interrupted my thoughts and I turned to see Sasuke appraising me with his onyx eyes. He had his duffel bag slung over his shoulders like before and the light wind tousled his hair into his unblemished face.

"Yeah." I responded with a nod.

"Let's go already!" Naruto grinned as he finally shut the trunk and slung his bag over his broad shoulders. He reached up to the top of his head and slid down a pair of dark Aviators until they masked his blue eyes from sight. "I can't wait." The blonde took the lead and Sasuke and I hung back behind him as we walked down towards the docks.

"Is it just us who's going?" I asked, my voice piecing the comfortable silence.

"Yeah," Sasuke answered as we finally made it to the docks, out feet making constant thudding noises as we walked down towards the expensive boats. "My family let's me take it out a few times a year, so it'll just be us and the captain."

"Captain?" I questioned aloud, glancing over my shoulder to examine the boats as we passed.

"Who else would drive the boat?" Naruto laughed from his position in front of us. "Sasuke? Ha, I'd love to see that."

"Shut up, idiot." Sasuke retorted. We were starting to get towards the end of the line of boats and I silently wondered when we'd get to Sasuke's. It didn't take long, because soon enough, Naruto stopped in front of a bleach white yacht. It was pretty big in size, and while the back was rounded like a half circle, it eventually stretched out into a soft point at the front. It had to be at least three stories high, counting the inside that we couldn't see. Tinted windows stretched far and I could barely make out the expensive looking furniture inside. As we rounded to the side, my eyes caught a scribble of words on the back of the yacht.

_S.S. Uchiha_

It was written in perfect cursive and a symbol of a fan was engraved underneath of the name. Half of it was a dark blue shade and the other half was white. If I had to take a guess, I would say that it was the Uchiha family crest and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. Who had a family crest anymore? Stupid rich people. There was a ramp that extended from the docks and onto the deck of the ship and a few ropes tethered the boat to the wooden posts.

"When are we going to be getting back?" I couldn't help but question. "And where's this island anyway?"

"We'll be back by Monday," It was Sasuke who answered and he made his way in front of Naruto and lead the way up the ramp. "As for the island, it's off the coast of a city near Suna."

"Suna?" I raised a brow, even though I knew he couldn't see me. "Isn't that like, a three day trip from here?"

"Not by boat." Was his only response. I rolled my eyes at his vague answer and struggled behind Naruto as we climbed up the ramp. It wasn't until we were almost on deck of the boat when a voice shouted out from behind us.

"Hey! Guys, wait up!"

We all stopped and turned just in time to see a whirlwind of green coming right at us. He was waving his arms back in forth in the air like a maniac and a duffel bag that was slung over his skinny shoulders was flying out behind him as he ran. The bowel cut was the first thing that caught my attention and next came the bushy eyebrows. It took a moment, but the boy finally caught up to us and stood panting on the ramp.

"Bushy brows?" Naruto questioned in confusion and I almost blanched at the nickname. "What are you doing here?"

"I am coming with you!" Lee grinned and threw a thumps up in our direction.

"Coming with us?" I questioned, turning my head to catch Sasuke's eyes.

"I almost forgot," He spoke in his drawling voice. "Lee's coming with us."

"He is?" The confused blonde questioned.

"Yes," The green clad boy responded. "My family is close with Sasuke's, and I am supposed to come with you guys this year!"

I shrugged. "It's fine with me." I was actually glad that Lee would be coming because it would be so much more comfortable with him there. Not only that, but he would help balance out Naruto's stupidity with his common sense.

"Whatever," Naruto grumbled. "Let's just go already."

"Yes, let us go!" Lee grinned and casually tossed an arm over my shoulders as we continued up the ramp and emerged onto the deck of the yacht. It was as beautiful on the boat as it was from the dock. From there, I could see a peanut shaped pool on the back of the boat and comfortable looking chairs were placed around it. Right beside that was a moderately sized hot tub with industrial sized jets installed all throughout it. I raised a brow at this. Who needed a pool on a boat?

"Good evening, Master Sasuke," A masculine voice cut through Naruto's loud whooping and we all turned our attention to an old looking man standing near the doorway that lead below deck. His dark graying hair sat atop his head in no particular style and a black and white captain's hat was placed upon it. Kindly wrinkles sprung out on his face as he peered at us with piercing green eyes. "And good evening to you as well, Master Lee."

"Hey!" Naruto crossed his arms over his chest. "What about me, old man?"

I almost punched his arm at his rudeness.

"Ah," The old man's eyes sparkled. "Hello, Naruto."

"Charles," Sasuke nodded at him in acknowledgement before gently lowering his bag from his shoulder. "We're ready to go when you are."

Charles nodded with a kindly smile and turned his attention to me. "And who might this be?"

"This is Lyn-chan!" Lee all but thrust me forward. "She's coming with us."

"It's nice to meet you." I smiled.

"To you as well," Charles returned the smile and I caught a sparkle of amusement in his eyes. "You can all place your bags in your rooms and we'll set sail soon."

"Finally!" Naruto grinned and took off towards the door that lead below deck. "I call the master bedroom!"

"No way, idiot," Sasuke followed behind him. "It's my boat."

They both disappeared below and I let out a sigh. This could either go great and be really fun, or go bad and be miserable; I was hoping for the former choice.

"This is going to be great, Lyn-chan," Lee smiled down at me as he lead us towards the door. "Think of it as a huge sleepover!"

I seriously hoped that it wouldn't turn out as bad as it sounded.

* * *

><p><strong>Review? Please tell me what you think.<strong>


	10. Dangers of Snake Men, Part 2

**Okay, so I totally couldn't resist spewing out another chapter so quick, and I even made it longer than usual. ;) Also, I tried to make this chapter seem like real life, so there is a slight chance that some characters might be OOC. Anyway, onwards my lovely readers!~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Any Familiar Things, or Ninjas. I only own the plot and OC's.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten<strong>

**Dangers of Snake Men, Part 2**

"I have to what?" I nearly screeched.

"Heh, heh. Sorry, Lyn-chan," Naruto chuckled as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. I've noticed that he seemed to have a habit of doing that when he was apologetic. "But you're going to have to share a room with one of us."

We were standing in a semi-spacious hallway underneath the deck and Naruto's bulk practically blocked the white tiled steps behind him from view. There were three doors, one to the left of us which I knew led to a full bathroom, and two to my right which both led to a bedroom. If I were to turn around in place, the hallway that we were standing in would branch off into a T intersection; one way opened up to a modern kicthen with marble counters and stainless steel appliances. The opposite way led to a grey spiral staircase with beige carpet and it would bring you farther below deck until your feet hit the beautifully furnished living room. It was painted a light and airy brown, and had a flat screen television so huge that it took up on of the walls. Not only that, but a tall glass cabinet contained every movie that you could ever imagine. A room branched off from the living room and led to an open and completely stocked bar. That is what got me. Why would you have a fully stocked bar on board of a yacht knowing that your son and his friends would be spending a weekend on? I had already spotted Naruto eyeing the door like a starving man would eye a hamburger. Funny, Naruto never struck me as the drinking type.

"Why can't all three of you guys just share one room?" I questioned, rasing my hands and placing them on my hips. Sasuke and Lee were somewhere on deck, leaving me stuck down below with Naruto. They had left their things out in the hallway so that I was free to choose a room and the person that I would be forced to share it with. We had yet to take off and were still docked, waiting until Charles was ready set sail.

"Because there are only two beds in one room, and one king sized bed in the other," The blonde whined. "And I don't wanna have to sleep on the floor!"

"Why would _you_ have to be the one to sleep on the floor? Besides, aren't one of the rooms a Master?"

"Because," He slumped over. "There's no way that Sasuke would ever sleep on the floor _or_ give up the Master bedroom, and he always takes up the whole bed."

I raised a brow at that.

"Not only that," He continued. "But Lee kicks in his sleep and sounds like a wild Snorlax!"

A second brow joined the first.

"I don't want to know why you know what you do," I shook my head, and eyed one of the doors with a sigh. "But I guess I don't have a choice." It wasn't difficult. I mean, I could either be roomed with a stuck-up-yet-hot duck butt, a dumb blonde, or a semi-normal Lee. Like I said before, not a hard decision.

"I'll room with Lee." I nodded to myself and turned my attention back onto Naruto.

"You don't wanna room with me, Lyn-chan?" He pouted and gazed at me with glittering blue eyes.

"No." I stated bluntly.

"Ah! Lyn-chan, you're so mean!" He cried and clutched at his heart. "Why do you bully me so much?" I rolled my eyes and suppressed a smile.

"You're an easy target. Now where am I rooming?"

"That door," He pointed to the door closest to me. "Is where Sasuke and I will be sleeping, and the other one," He nodded towards the door closest to himself. "Is yours and Lee's."

"Mkay," I nodded. "I'm gonna put my stuff in there."

"Don't forget to change into your bathing suit," He wiggled his eyebrows and dodged my hand as I tried to slap his arm. "We'll be up deck."

As he turned to go above deck, I opened the door to my room and walked inside. The sight that greeted me almost made me drop my bag in shock. The room was pretty large. The marble floor was a few shades darker than milk and swirls of chocolate brown created random designs before spirling off into nothingness. To my right was a wooden sliding door the color of a Hershey's chocolate bar and the handle glowed a light silver. There was a home movie cabinet connected to the closet door and two sliding doors hid what was probably a huge flat screen television, from sight. A few feet away from that were two windows that had the shades pulled over them and a medium sized dest sat below them with a vase which contained a single white rose. Lights were placed into the painted, decorative ceiling at random intervals and beautiful designs were cut into the wood. Two, large beds were placed on opposite sides of the room and they sat on platforms that made them appear to be floating in middair. They were perfectly made with beige shaded sheets and I knew that if I sat down, I would sink into the mattress.

Sighing, I made my way over to the bed closest to the windows and slung my bag onto it, effectively claiming it as mine. Lee would have to deal with sleeping on the other one. I took another look around the room and tried not to roll my eyes. Rich people. It was starting to sink in that Sasuke's parents must be big on having fancy, expensive things. Turning my gaze back to my bag sitting on the bed and Naruto's words echoed in my mind.

_"Don't forget to change into your bathing suit!" _

I almost snorted. Glancing out of the window, I almost sputtered in suprise to see that we were slowly moving away from the dock. Looked like we set sail. I could feel the boat slowly starting to rock underneath of me feet and a feeling of relief coursed through me: thank God I don't get sea sick. It finally hit me that i would be going on a three day trip and the feeling of vacation took over. It had been a long time since I had last gone on vacation, and I couldn't even remember where we went.

Sighing, I made my way over to the door and shut it tightly before turning the lock. Walking back across the room, I un-zipped my duffel bag and sorted through the clothes until my fingers brushed against the cool material of my bathing suit. I pulled it out and quickly changed before throwing my shirt back on over top of it and slipped on some jean shorts. Sliding my feet back into my flip-flops, I zipped my bag back up and left it on the bed as I walked back over to the door and left the room, shutting it behind me.

Walking down the short hallway, I stared out of the windows as the shore slowly disappeared from view. My feet hit the steps, and I climbed up them before pushing open the door that led to the deck. A cool breeze hit my face, sending tendrils of my hair flying in every direction. As I stepped out further, I enhaled the salt water scent and felt my mucles relax. That was my favourite part about the ocean.

"Over here, Lyn-chan!" The shout pierced the air and drowned out the sound of the rumbling engine. I turned on the spot and raised a hand to shade my eyes from the sun when it hit my face. Lee waved me over from his place lounging by the pool and my flip-flops clacked against the deck as I made my way over.

"Hey." I greeted.

Sasuke was laying on his back atop the water in the large pool, his dark hair splaying out around his head in a halo and he had his eyes closed. I had to repress the blush that threatened to appear on my cheeks when I noticed that he was completely shirtless. The toned mucles in his stomach were well defined and I had to turn my eyes away to stop myself from oggling. That would be the biggest downfall to this little trip. All three of the guys would be walking around shirtless. Woopie. Notice the sarcasm? I turned my head until my gaze fell on Naruto who was sitting on a green and white beach chair with Aviator sunglasses sitting atop his blonde head as he gazed out across the ocean.

"I heard that we are roomates." The voice caught my attention and forced me to turn my attention to the guy beside me. Lee stood with his hands on his thin waist and a big grin on his face. He too, was in a swim suit, but he had opted for a skintight top that looked like Underarmor, and bright green swimming trunks that clashed a little with his tan skin. When did these guys have time to change?

"Yeah," I smiled in response. "Looks like it."

"I cannot wait!" He exclaimed with a sudden fire in his eyes. "It will be fun! We can stay up all night long and talk for as long as we like!" I couldn't help but laugh at his response: it was so...Lee-like.

"Lyn-chan!" An annoyingly familiar voice yelled, his naturally raspy voice echoing throughout the ship. I turned around, only to stop short when a shirtless Naruto appeared a few feet away from me. His mucles, like Sasuke's, were well defined against his sun-kissed skin and I had to repress a groan. Really? What was _with_ these guys and being muscular?

"Oh, hey, Naruto."

"So, Lyn-chan, are you excited yet?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

"I can barely contain myself." I sarcastically replied.

"I knew you couldn't hold back for long."

Yeah, I don't know if I mentioned this before, but Naruto is an idiot. He sent me a grin before he tossed his sunglasses ontop of his discarded shirt and ran towards the pool, jumping in at the last minute and cannon-balling. Water was sent flying everywhere and the front of my shirt was completely soaked through, showing the outline of my bathing suit. I wiped the water from my face and a laugh burst from my lips when I noticed Sasuke sputtering out water as he emerged back to the surface. His hair stuck to his face and completely lost its spikyness.

"Idiot." He sent a cold glare at Naruto, who like always, didn't even flinch and instead dove under the water with a laugh.

I saw movement beside me and turned just in time to see Lee following in Naruto's footsteps and nosediving into the pool. Water sprayed me yet again and I flinched back in annoyance. Sasuke made his way over to the edge of the pool before grasping the ledge and pulling himself up and out of the water. His wet hair hung into his eyes and dripped down his neck and onto the deck. He reached up a hand and brushed it back before making his way over to one of the deck chairs and picked up a black and white towel before running it over his hair and patting his face dry. The second he pulled away the towel, his eyes met mine and a smirk lifted at the corner of his lips as he noticed my staring.

"Lyn-chan! Come into the water with us!" The shout belonged to Lee, and I quickly turned my attention to him, all the while trying to supress the heat I could feel rushing up the back of my neck.

"I'll pass." I crossed my arms over my chest in defiance. I was so not going to joing them in the pool because that would mean that I would have to change into my bathing suit, which meant that I would have to parade around basically half-naked. No thanks.

"Afraid?" I shot a half-glare at Sasuke when I noticed that he still had that smirk on his face.

"No." I narrowed my eyes.

"Really, now?" Amusement flickered in hsi eyes and I knew that he was just toying with me, teasing me so that I would relent and get into the pool.

"Yes, really," I said stubbornly. "Why would I be afraid?"

I let out a squeek as two arms suddenly snaked around my waist and snapped my head around only to see a head of blonde hair before I was sent flying into the water with a smack! Cool water rushed around me and down my throat and my arms waved around in panic before I was able to touch the bottom of the pool with my feet and I pushed off the concrete, and finally emerged to the surface. I sputtered out water and used an arm to push my dark hair out of my face. Water trickled down my face and into my eyes, forcing me to blink repeatedly until the burn left and I could see clearly. I sent the darkest glare I could muster at Naruto, who was on his knees laughing on deck. It didn't seem to have any effect and my eye twitched in annoyance. I was completely soaked.

"Are you okay, Lyn-chan?" I turned to Lee, who had remained in the pool and shook my head at his concern.

"I'm fine. Just wet." I sighed before making my way to the edge of the pool. There was no point in complaining about being wet now, and I clamored out before walking over to a deck chair and picking up a dry yellow towel that was sitting on it. I ran it over my face so that I could see clearly.

"Hey!" Naruto's voice objected. "That's my towel!"

"Sucks." I replied and tossed it back onto the chair when I was done. I caught Sasuke's eye and rolled my own when I saw the smirk appear back onto his face. With a reluctant sigh, I grasped the edge of my soaked shirt before pulling it up and over my head. To hell with it, I thought. Ignoring the fact that I was stripping down to my bathing suit in front of three guys, I slid off my shorts before tossing them onto the chair as well. I was making my way back to get into the pool when Naruto's loud voice pierced the silence.

"Whoa! I didn't know that you had a belly ring, Lyn-chan!"

...

"No! We are not watching that girly crap!"

"Why not? It is a good movie!"

"It's a chick-flick!"

"So? What difference does that make? It is still a good movie!"

"Shut up." A masculine voice pierced through the loud yells and I raised my head from my fist where I sat at the small table that was near the stairs of the living room. Sasuke had just made his way down the spiral steps and he now stood at the bottom of them with dripping wet hair. He had just taken a shower and was now dressed in a cotton longsleeved white shirt and black sweatpants, which I had to admit was weird seeing him in. Duck Butt had just stopped an argument that Naruto and Lee had been having for the past ten minutes. They both sat in front of the glass cabinet that contained all of the movies and were arguing over what we were going to watch. After messing around in the pool for a good couple of hours until the sun started to set, we had all dried off and headed back inside so that we could take a shower and rinse off the chlorine from our bodies. There were two full bathrooms and so after Lee and I had finished first, we came downstairs to find something to do to fill the time and decided to watch a movie after Naruto had emerged into the living room.

It was strange, really. How comfortable I felt hanging out with the three of them. it was as if we had been friends for years and it was strange how well we all bonded together. I wasn't used to this kind of companionship and I could feel a friendship starting with the three of them, including the stuck-up-duck-butt. And honestly, it scared me.

"Sasuke!" Naruto sprang up from the soft, white rug that sat underneath of the glass coffee table and shoved a movie case into the air as if he were showing off a prize he got from a competition. "Tell Lee that _Inception_ is way better than _Burlesque_!" He basically spit the word in distaste and waved his arm around. Sasuke raised a brow and padded across the floor until he was standing next to the coffee table and in the center of the semi-square that the black and white couches created. Lee rolled his eyes from his seat and turned his attention to me.

"_Burlesque_ is so much better than _Inception_, right Lyn-chan?"

I blinked as the three of them turned their attention to me and was suprised by how calm I was at the attention. A couple of days ago I would have blushed bright red and stuttered in embarrassment, but now I just rolled my eyes.

"I really don't care," I responded. "Just chose one."

"But that's the problem!" Lee cried.

"Just watch both of them, idiots." Sasuke scoffed and walked over to an empty couch before colapsing down into it. He sank into the cushions and I wondered about just how comfortable they were.

"I don't want to watch that _girl_ movie." Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and huffed.

"Then pick something else." Sasuke drawled out.

"There's nothing good in there." The blonde's scowl turned into a pout and he turned to throw a glare at Lee.

"How is there _nothing_ good in there?" I voiced. "There's like, more than a hundred movies in there."

"They all suck compared to _Inception_." Naruto whined and I rolled my eyes with a huff and stood up from my chair.

"Move." I bluntly ordered Naruto as i made my way over and he moved out of the way so that he wasn't blocking the cabinet anymore. I bit my bottom lip as I scanned all of the titles and slowly made my way down the rows and rows of movies. I mean really, how many did one family need? Sighing through my nose, I finally reached up and pulled a case down from the shelf as it caught my eye and turned aorund to hold it up for the rest of them to see.

"_Insidious_?" Naruto questioned, examining the movie in my hand. "I never took you for the scary movie type."

"Yeah, well," I shrugged. "It's this or _Burlesque_."

Naruto quickly snatched the case out of my hand before tossing Inception onto the coffee table. I rolled my eyes yet again and watched as the blonde walked over to the complicated looking DVD system and pressed a button to make the disc tray slide open.

"I wanted to watch _Burlesque_," Lee pouted as he picked himself up from the floor and returned the movie to the cabinet. "Is Insidious really scary? Because I hate scary movies."

I repressed the words that wanted to spill from my mouth, and instead made my way over to the light switches near the bottom of the staircase and flipped them off until the only light came from the opening prieviews on the overly large television screen. As Naruto padded his way over to an empty couch with the DVD remote, I walked across the room and sank into the other end of the couch that Sasuke occupied. I leaned back against the arm and stretched my legs out just until there was a few inches of space between my feet and Sasuke's, who was stretched out as well.

"No one answered my question," Lee whined as he sat on the last unoccupied couch. "This movie isn't scary, is it?"

One hour and fourty minutes and I found myself being clutched so tightly that I thought my lings would be crushed. Lee sat next to me on the couch and had his arms snaked around my torso and was currently squeezing the life from my body as he hid his face into my shoulder every few moments. When Lee said that he hated scary movies, he meant that he _really_ hated scary movies. Naruto had spead out on the couch and laughed everytime Lee let out a slight scream and I had to supress my giggles at times. It was hard not to laugh when a teenage boy let out girlish screams. Sasuke had glanced over at times as Lee clung to me and a look of serious contemplation would cross over his face before he would turn back to the screen. Weirdo. The credits finally rolled and Naruto lazily lifted himeslf from the couch to turn the lights back on. As soon as the bright lights flooded the room, Lee detatched himself from my person with a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, Lyn-chan."

"It's fine, Lee." I smiled to show him that it was okay before standing up from the couch and stretched out my sore mucles. Glancing to my left, I looked out of the big, tinted windows only to see that it was nighttime and the moon was fully out and shining onto the ocean waves. The boat rocked back and forth and seemed to have a calming affect on my body.

"Now what?" Naruto asked as he colapsed back onto the couch he had previously occupied.

"What time is it?" I ignored his question.

"Around one in the morning." Sasuke answered, turning his onyx eyes on me. He had been acting weird ever since the movie started and I raised a brow.

"Well I don't know about you guys," Naruto stretched his arms, causing them to crack as the bones popped back into place. "But I'm hungry."That reminded me that we hadn't eaten anything since we boarded the ship and my stomach growled in agreement.

"Me too." I added.

"Let us go and get some food then!" Lee exclaimed and jumped to his feet, seeming to return back to his normal self.

"The kitchen should be fully stocked." Sasuke stated and rose from the couch, pulling down his shirt when it bunched up above his stomach.

"Come on, already!" Naruto whined as he raced to the stairs and ran up them until he disappeared from view. The rest of us followed behind him and took a right as we emerged from the staircase. All of the lights were still on and it gave off a calm and homey feeling as we made out way into the kitchen. Surprise, surprise, the starving blonde was already digging around in the fridge and I silently wondered at how he was able to quiet his hunger for so long. I made my way over to the counter as he started pulling out lunch meat and stacked it onto the island that separated the kitchen from the dining room.

"There should be some more stuff in the pantry." I followed Sasuke's line of vision and nodded as I made my way over to the closet that sat in between the kitchen and dining room and opened it up. It was a complete walk in, and after scanning the items on the shelves, I grabbed a few bags of chips before I reamerged and dropped them onto the island next to the lunch meat. Naruto already had a stack of sandwiches in front of them and snatched up a bag of Doritos before tearing them open and eating them right out of the bag. I followed everyone else's example and made a ham and cheese sandwich and dug out a healthy portion of Doritos from Naruto's bag.

"What do you guys want to drink?" Lee asked as he peered into the stainless steel fridge. "There's Coke, Pepsi, orange juice, appel juice, milk, and water." They just had a whole assortment, didn't they?

"Coke." I said at the same time that Naruto shouted "Pepsi!" We looked at each other before Lee handed out the drinks and I pushed myself up onto one of the counters before digging into my sandwich. A few minutes of silence passed before Naruto broke it.

"So are we getting to the island tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Sasuke spoke after taking a swig from his Coke can. "Sometime in the afternoon."

"I cannot wait!" Lee exclaimed. "It has been a long time since I have been there."

"I dunno," Naruto interjected. "Something about that place has always rubbed me the wrong way, 'ya know? There's something not quite right about it."

"What?" I snorted. "Is it haunted or something?"

"Maybe," Sasuke spoke up, a smirk appearing on his face. "Legends say that there's an ancient ninja burial ground-"

"Wait," I interrupted with raised brows. "An _ancient ninja burial ground_? Really? Since when have ninjas ever been real?"

"You don't believe me." Sasuke's smirk deepened.

"Of course not. It's not logical."

"You know," Naruto added. "Konoha's ancestors were said to be ninjas."

"And you actually believe that?" I was skeptical. I mean really, _ninjas_?

"Hey, it could be true." Naruto shrugged.

"Anyway," Sasuke continued. "This island was created about a century after all of its inhabitants were whiped out and people have been accounting for supernatural phenomenon for years now. Some even say that when you wander off at night, you can spot the ghosts of the ninja who fought in the war. Others have claimed that you can still hear the sounds of shuriken clanking against each other."

"G-ghosts?" Lee questioned, wide-eyed.

"Yeah," Sasuke took another drink from his can. "And legends say that they can sense the living through their chakra."

"Chakra?" I spoke up. "What the hell is that?"

"Chakra?" Naruto said. "I know what that is. It's stuff you write on those boards with, right?"

"Naruto, that's _chalk_." I shook my head.

"Oh."

"Chakra," Sasuke started. "Is the molding of the physical energypresent in every cell of the body and the spiritual energy gained from exercise and experience, or so they say. Once molded, it can be channelled through the chakra circulatory system, which is to chakra as the regular circulatory system is to blood, to any of the 361 chakra points , called tenketsu, in the body. It's said that through various methods, the most common of which is hand seals, the chakra can then be manipulated to create an effect that would not be possible otherwise, such as walking on water, exhaling fire or creating illusions."

Silence overtook the room before I finally bursted out laughing.

"Really? Where'd you hear that crap from? I mean seriously, it's not possible to _breathe fire_."

"You'll never know, will you?" He questioned, and his trademark smirk was back on his face. Yeah, we wouldn't have to worry about made up ninjas, but we would have to worry about something much worse thatn fictional creations, and we would figure that out soon.

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><p><strong>Review?~ :)<strong>


	11. Dangers of Snake Men, Part 3

**Yay, chapter eleven! I wanted to get this out before Christmas, which is tomorrow, because I'll be getting a brand new electric guitar which means that I probably won't update for an unknown amount of time. Haha. **

**PS: The first person to catch the _Bleach_ reverence gets the next chapter dedicated to them. ~**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Frogger, or French things. I only own the OC's and the plot.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Eleven<strong>

**Dangers of Snake Men, Part 3**

"Welcome to L'île De Espoir, or as it is commonly known as, The island of Hope."

"L-lil do espoua?"

Naruto's face twisted in confusion as he tried to pronounce the French name, and I shook my head in exasperation. The water that gently lapped at the shore behind us was a light crystal blue, almost the same color as the icy eyes of our tour guide, and I stared out at it's peaceful waves. The top of the water was completely clear, allowing you to see into the very bottom of it's depths and the colorful fish that swam beneath it. We had just arrived about twenty minutes ago and I already knew that I never wanted to leave this place for the rest of my life. The sun was high in the cloudless sky, but it didn't burn us with its rays and instead it gently glowed upon our backs, letting its warmth seep through our clothes. The air smelled of salt and I inhaled deeply.

"No. L'île De Espoir," Our tour guide spoke with a heavy accent and it was hard to place: sounding somewhere between Jamaican and French. His skin was darkened from the sun and he was grinning at the three of us as he reached up a hand to steady the ridiculous looking hat that was perched on top of his head. The wind had been threatening to steal it away since he had first introduced himself to us and I honestly wouldn't miss it. It was a white fisherman styled hat with bright green stripes that ran vertically down until it ended at the brim. "It is called the Island of Hope because of its history. Long ago the first people who walked its beaches had wished for the end of the Great War and had hoped for a new beginning of peace. They were well known to hold tribal parties on the shores to pray to the Gods for their help."

"Ah, so they ended the war with the power of hope!" Lee sighed with contentment. "How amazing!"

"Yes, that is right," The tour guide, Adric, nodded in approval. "The Gods had watched over them and answered their prayers, ending the war and sending our world into peace..."

I risked a glance around while Adric continued to talk about the history of the island and had to push up the sunglasses that were starting to slide down my nose. A small group of native boys were joking around at the shore of the beach that stretched out below the small hill that we stood on. I watched them push and shove each other into the water and their loud booming laughter flowed through like the very ocean they were swimming in. Letting out a relaxed sigh as the wind blew gently across my face, I let my mind drift.

At the beginning of the week I would have rather cut off my own arm with a plastic spoon than go on a three day trip with a group of handsome guys that I barely knew. But then, as I got to know them more and more over the days, I realized that they weren't just stupid, annoying, stuck up boys, but that they were actually real people with real problems. Okay, so I hadn't spent enough time with them to know their whole life stories, but my opinion of them had completely changed.

Yeah, Naruto was an annoying ditz, but he was kind on the inside and cared about his friends more than I could imagine. Lee was the most…normal… of the three of them and could turn on his serious switch whenever he saw fit. Sasuke, well, let's just say that he wasn't as much of a jerk as I had first thought, but he was still pretty up there in the egotistical category. Maybe my mom had been right, not that I would openly admit it. But maybe I could actually have fun with those three and become close friends with them. It was a big maybe, but it was still a possibility.

"Lyn."

I jumped, startled, and jerked my head around in surprise. Black fabric was the first thing that caught my attention and I slowly let my gaze travel up until I met the matching dark eyes of the tall man beside me. Sasuke's lips pulled up at the corners in a slight smirk before he gently tilted his head to the right, sending his straight black hair into his eyes.

"Are you going to stand here all day, or are you coming?"

"What?" I raised a brow and looked in the direction that he was gesturing to before blinking in surprise. "Oh." I could just barely make out Lee's bright green outfit and Naruto's wild blonde hair as they paraded down the sidewalk behind the man in the ridiculous hat.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Lifting my bag higher onto my shoulder, I took my time in walking down the cracked sidewalk with Sasuke in tow. The beach was directly to our right and the sound of waves crashing onto the shore gave the atmosphere an aura of calm.

"So," The Uchiha prodigy began, breaking the comfortable silence. "You said that you had to work on a project with Sakura." It wasn't phrased as a question, it was a statement.

"Yeah," I replied, scrunching my nose at the thought. "We were supposed to do it this weekend, but that's obviously not going to happen."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." I looked over at Sasuke and had to squint my eyes against the sun. He had his trademark smirk on his face and I had to wonder if he ever smiled.

"It is," I shrugged and stared back over at the clear blue sea. "A bad thing I mean. She's not the nicest person."

"Funny, it's the opposite for me." I blinked in confusion and turned my attention back to him, wondering why he was choosing now to have an actual conversation with me.

"How?"

Sasuke turned his head and locked eyes with me and I almost gasped out loud. The sunlight was bouncing off of his dark hair, sending rays of light out and around his head like a halo. The shadows that had hidden his perfect, porcelain skin were gone and every flawless inch was naked before my eyes. I couldn't help the slight stab of envy that rippled through me; this man was beautiful and that was something that I could never achieve.

"She likes to obsess over me," He spoke before turning his attention back to the road ahead of us. I could just make out Naruto's bright blonde hair in the distance. "And I can't stand it, it's annoying."

"I've noticed," I muttered. "That's why she hates me."

"Because you hang around me." I knew that if I looked, that smirk would be back.

"More like the other way around." I let a little smirk of my own take up root on my lips. There was a moment of silence before Sasuke responded.

"Naruto likes you, that's why he's always around."

"Naruto likes everybody."

"Exactly," I looked over at him and he met my eyes before continuing. "He tries to be friends with everyone he meets, no matter who they are."

I let that process through my mind for a moment. It was surprising, honestly, that Sasuke was even telling me this, that we were even having this conversation. Sure, I knew that Naruto was a people person, and therefore liked everyone, but that didn't mean that Sasuke had to as well.

"And what about you?" I asked my silent question, staring at the buildings that were just coming into view. They were close together, some bigger than others in size and they were each painted different colors. Cars lined up on the sides of the road and I knew that we were just now arriving into town.

"What about me?" He questioned.

"You didn't have to talk to me, and yet you chose to." I refused to turn my head and look into his eyes this time, and instead took in the detail of the buildings that we were now passing. Each of them were built out of brick, but they had a certain old quality to them that made them appear to be from the middle ages. The road wasn't paved, instead it was made of dark colored stones that were each different in size and looked smooth to the touch. People took up residence on the sidewalks with their friends or family and joked around as they walked towards their unknown destinations. I didn't know where I was going at all, so I just followed Sasuke's lead.

"Because," The prodigy finally spoke. "You're interesting."

"Interesting?" I said dryly and an eyebrow raised at his descriptor. "Really?"

"Hn." He grunted out and I rolled my eyes. We had completely lost sight of the other three that we were supposed to be with and I sighed. They _would_ leave us behind. Between Naruto's charisma, Lee's excitement, and Adric's enthusiasm, they were a complete trio, a perfect match.

"Back to that, are we?" Came my sarcastic comment and I wondered when I had become so brave. "And here I thought we were passed barbaric responses."

"Hn." He repeated and I knew that he did that just to tic me off. Sasuke stopped walking suddenly and veered off to the right and down a skinny looking alleyway.

"Where are you going?" I called after him, jogging until I was behind him in the claustrophobic space.

"It's a shortcut." Was his only response.

"A shortcut? How often do you come here?" I trailed behind.

"Enough to know where I'm going," We finally made it out of the alleyway and emerged onto a big, busy street. "Ready?"

"Ready for what?" My question went unanswered because at that moment, Sasuke quickly grabbed my hand in his and started to run across the road to avoid the oncoming traffic and I almost had a heart attack right there. Cars zoomed past at unimaginable speeds and I knew that if we got hit, we would be blasted into oblivion.

"Oh, my God!" I shouted over the loud roaring of the cars whipping by, some coming so close that the wind from them blew my hair into my face. "Why in the hell are we playing Frogger?"

I didn't get an answer and I swore that if we got out of here alive, I would kill him. The drivers here apparently didn't care if they hit a poor civilian and had no intention of slowing down. It was like attempting to run across the Autobahn in Germany and there was a moment when my life flashed before my eyes. What in the hell was wrong with this guy? It wasn't until we made it onto the other side of the road and our feet hit the sidewalk that I could stop my heart from attempting to take flight from my body. Sasuke continued to lead me, this time at a much slower pace, up the small slope of the sidewalk and towards a large looming building.

It had to be at least fifty stories high and it stood alone on the long stretch of road that extended out in front of it. Tall, stone pillars stood to support the overhang that hovered over the entryway of the building. The bricks were pure white and shone brightly from the sun that graced it with its rays.

La Grand Hôtel

The large sign was placed on the center of the building and the name was printed in perfect script. This…couldn't be where we were staying, right? We walked in silence until we reached the shade that the overhang provided and the sight before me had made me completely forget about sending Sasuke to his grave. It wasn't until the prodigy dropped my hand that I realized that he had still been holding it, and a light blush rose to my cheeks. How had I not noticed that?

"Ah," A middle aged man spoke from where he stood by the automated doors. His blue and white uniform had been ironed perfectly there were no winkles what-so-ever. "Good evening, Master Sasuke. It is good to see you again."

"Same to you." Sasuke nodded at the man in acknowledgement.

"Your usual room is ready for you." The concierge replied with a slight smile. Something told me that the guy wasn't much fun. "Do you need any help with your bags?"

"No," He glanced over at me before continuing. "We've got it."

"Alright," The man nodded. "Mio has the keys to your room at the front desk."

"Thank you." With that, Sasuke led the way through the automatic glass doors and right into the bright, fancy lobby. I froze, stunned, and stared open mouthed at the amount of expensive décor. The floor was pure, smooth marble that was white in color with black specs in them and they complemented the golden walls perfectly. Plush, fancy furniture and couches were placed about in an unknown floor plan and a beautiful statue of a women stood in the center of a fountain. Her eyes were lifted up as she stared at some spot that only she could see and her empty, stone hands were cupped out in front of her as if in offering. The woman's long gown hung off of one shoulder before it flowed down to the bottoms of her feet and it was shaped as if it were blowing in some invisible wind.

"Are you coming, or are you going to keep trying to catch flies?"

I blinked back into reality and snapped my jaw shut as a smirking Sasuke led the way over to the reception counter near the entrance of the hotel. A petite woman stood behind it and she was currently fluffing her cropped hair with manicured fingers.

The instant we came into view though, she immediately stopped what she was doing and adopted a flirtatious smile.

"Long time no see, Mr. Uchiha." She practically purred.

"Mio." Sasuke nodded in return.

"What brings you here?" The Sakura like clone asked with a flick of her hair. "Taking another vacation?"

"Something like that."

"I see," Mio drummed her French Tipped fingernails on the smooth counter. "So have you deci-"

"Sasuke, Lyn-chan!" The enthusiastic shout broke through whatever the Sakura Incarnate was about to say and we all turned to see Naruto standing by the open doors with Lee at his side. "Hey! We were wondering what happened to you two."

"We thought that you had gotten lost." Lee scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah," Naruto walked over to the desk with a mischievous grin on his face. "We thought that the two of you went off somewhere alone to-"

"We thought no such thing!" Lee cried, making his way over to us with an incredulous expression. "You should not make such assumptions about a lady, Naruto, it is not polite."

"Polite-shmalight," The blonde rolled his eyes. "You thought about it too."

"W-what? I did no such thing!"

"Whatever. Now that we're here," Naruto ignored Lee's protest and slapped a hand down onto the counter. "Give us the key, lady."

"Naruto! That is no way to speak to a lady! You should have more respect and then maybe-"

"I'm exhausted and this bag is heavy," Blondie whined. "I wanna go up to the room, so give us the key."

I almost smacked my forehead at how rude Naruto was being. I mean, I knew that this woman was basically trying to pounce on Sasuke so that she could rape him, but that was really no excuse to talk to her that way. We could risk losing the Uchiha, friendship was about sacrifice and all that.

"Alright," Mio huffed in offense and turned around to the key shelf behind her. She grabbed a random set of key cards and slid them each onto the table towards us. "Here you go. Room 2903, floor thirty-four, enjoy."

"Finally," Naruto grinned, swiped up a card, and turned on his heel, heading towards the shiny elevators on the other side of the lobby. "Let's go."

Shrugging, I followed the blonde after grabbing my own key with Lee and Sasuke trailing behind. Naruto already had the elevator doors open and stood inside, tapping his foot with impatience. The second that we all entered, Naruto quickly jammed a thumb down on the button that read our floor number and Mio called out as the doors slipped to a close.

"I'll be here if you need anything!" I think we all knew who that statement was aimed at and I rolled my eyes. Women, honestly.

"Jeez, that chick's annoying," Naruto leaned back against one of the elevator walls and crossed his slim arms behind his head. "I don't know how you stand it, Sasuke."

"You have no idea." The Uchiha prodigy responded in a monotone voice. The elevator got quiet after that and I stared at the red numbers that flickered above the doors. It took a few minutes, but we finally made it to our floor and the doors swooshed open with a_ ding_! All of us piled out into the spacious hallway and I stopped when I saw that it split three different ways.

"Uh-"

"This way." Sasuke answered my unasked question and took a left, leading us all down the hallway until we reached a door at the very end. The numbers 2903 were printed on a plate next to the door as well as the word Penthouse underneath. The Uchiha wordlessly took out his key card and swiped it through the scanner, making the light flash green before the sound of a door unlocking filled the quiet hallway. Sasuke pulled down the handle with a flick of his wrist and swung the door open wide. Why was I not surprised that we were staying in the Penthouse?

"Ah~" Naruto sighed blissfully as he followed Sasuke inside. "Home sweet home."

I entered behind and almost sighed myself when my feet sunk into the soft, white carpet and followed the other two down the short hallway that eventually opened up into a spacious living room. I heard Lee close the door behind us and I dropped my bag onto the floor as I took in our new living quarters. There were two black leather couches that sat underneath of a large glass window and a wooden coffee table sat in between them. A huge, flat screen television was hung up on the wall and looked almost brand new. What was with rich people and flat screen T.V.'s? To the right was a large kitchen that contained any utility that you could possibly need and a hallway stretched passed it, leading to what I assumed was the bedrooms. There was a sliding door in the living room that led to a balcony that overlooked the beach below and I knew that I would be spending a lot of time out there.

"The Master bedroom is mine!" Naruto called, reminding me of when we first arrived on the ship. He ran down the stretch of the hallway, his laughter echoing back to us.

"They're _all_ Master bedrooms, Dobe." Sasuke rolled his eyes and dropped his bag onto the floor and made his way into the kitchen. While he was rummaging around in the cabinets, I walked over to the balcony and slid open the doors. The roar of the warm wind greeted me and I shifted my sunglasses to the top of my head as I leaned against the railing. People were spread out down the length of the beach and a crowd of people were swimming in the ocean. Some of them just sat down on their towels to get some sun and children were building sand castles on the shore.

It wasn't until I took the time to look at the different faces that I noticed it. There, standing under the shade of a large, colorful umbrella was a very familiar figure. The man had on a long-sleeved white T-shirt with dark pants and he had long, dark hair that hung down to the middle of his back. His pale skin stood out compared to the tanned man standing beside him and I leaned forward even more to examine them with wide eyes. The first man kept glancing around as if expecting something to come attack him as he conversed with his companion. The second man seemed to have trouble keeping the white and green stripped hat on his head and kept gripping it when it tried to fly away.

No way.

I turned around abruptly and stared wide eyed at the three boys who were chatting it up in the kitchen. "Um, guys." I called hesitantly, stepping forward until I stood in the doorway that led to the inside of the Penthouse.

"What's up, Lyn-chan?" Naruto responded as he lazily reclined on one of the couches.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Was my confused response.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke came out from behind the kitchen and collapsed onto the last open couch with a glass of ice water.

"I'm trying to figure out," I repeated. "Why Orochimaru-sensei and Adric are out on the beach..._together_."

"_What_?" All three boys echoed in shock.

Oh Lordy, there goes our peaceful vacation.

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><p><strong>Review?~<strong>


	12. Agent 00 Knucklehead

**Ello guys! Sorry for such the delay, but I had tendinitis which mean that the tendons in my arms were inflamed. o.O So I had to keep from moving around to much. Anyway, to make up for the absence, I made this chapter long, so I hope you forgive me, haha. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Walkie-talkies, and nor do I own suspicious taxi drivers. I only own the plot and OC's.**

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><p><strong><em>This chapter is dedicated to Rose202 for being the first person to catch the Bleach reference in the last chapter!<em>  
><strong>

**Chapter Twelve**

**Agent 00 Knucklehead**

"So what do we do now?" Complete silence followed the question and only the sound of distant laughter rang out into the atmosphere.

"I don't know. I mean, he has to be here for a reason right? Maybe he's just on vacation." We all turned to look at Naruto, who was sprawled out on a leather armchair. His blonde head hung off one end while his feet were dangling off the other side. The blonde's blue eyes were staring at the ceiling in contemplation and the light from the descending sun caused shadows from his long lashes to stretch down his face. I sighed and leaned back further in the wooden chair positioned by the balcony door. The second that I had told the boys that Orochimaru was here, it had stirred them all into a panic, except for Sasuke, because Sasuke doesn't panic. Now we were all just sitting around trying to figure out what to do.

"Why would he be on vacation here, Dobe?" If it were possible for Sasuke to roll his eyes, he would have done it right there. Instead he opted to shake his head at his knowledge challenged friend and attempted to make himself more comfortable on the glass coffee table. Why he was sitting on it, I didn't know. The Uchiha dangled his arms over his jean clad legs and hunched forward towards us. "He has to be here for another reason."

"I agree with Sasuke," I spoke up, immediately gaining the attention of the three males in the room. Shifting in my seat from the stares, I addressed the problem at hand. "It's too much of a coincidence."

"That is possible," Lee spoke up from the kitchen, his voice muffled by the refrigerator. A moment later, he re-emerged carrying a bottle of water and walked over and sat down on the couch, his green shorts glowing the whole way. The guy was obsessed with green; it must have been some kind of fetish, and a strange one at that. Twisting the lid of the bottle, he cracked it open and took a long drink. "But why would he follow us? There is no possible reason. Perhaps we are just being paranoid."

"Oh come on," Naruto rolled his blue eyes before sitting up in the armchair the correct way. He leaned forward just like Sasuke was and his eyebrows scrunched together as he locked eyes with Lee. "What kind of teacher can afford to come here on their salary?" I couldn't help it; I snorted and shook my head at the blonde.

"It doesn't matter," Sasuke spoke up once again. "He's here now, and we have to figure out why."

"Ooh," I smirked and stared pointedly at the duck haired boy. "Sounds like we have a mystery on our hands."

"Just saying, but how would we even find this dude?" Naruto scratched the back of his head. "He's not on the beach with what's-his-name anymore, so how are we gonna find him? It's not as if we can just track him down or something."

"Naruto does have a point," Lee agreed. "This is a very big island. He could be anywhere, doing anything."

"You know," I paused in thought before situating myself more comfortably in my seat and continuing. "This isn't the first time we've ran into him outside of school."

"Sorano is right," Sasuke nodded. "We saw him at the mall as well; there has to be something weird going on."

"Yeah, but what? Is he planning a snake uprising?" Naruto snorted at his own little joke before getting to his feet and stretching. His mouth formed an "O" as he yawned and met each of our eyes with a somewhat serious expression. "I say we stalk him. Find out what he's up to."

"How can we stalk him if we don't even know where to start?" The blonde shrugged his shoulders at Lee and slowly made his way over to where I was sitting, his tanned feet padding against the soft carpet. He stopped in front of the window and drew the black satin curtains aside to peer out into the dimming light. The corners of his lips were pulled slightly down in thought and I raised a brow in surprise. Since when has Naruto Uzumaki ever been serious about anything? Perhaps it was because he had some kind of dislike for the snake, I didn't know.

But it was weird.

"We could start by asking around," Sasuke added his input. The Uchiha prodigy got up and walked over to the black duffle bag that was laying on the floor by the kitchen's entrance. "We can start with Adric. Call him over and tell him that we want another tour of the island, and get him to talk." The sound of a zipper being unzipped caught all of our attention and I watched Sasuke in curiosity. He slipped out an iPhone from the side pocket of his bag before zippering it closed.

"How're we supposed to get him to talk?" I spoke. "We don't even know for sure if those two are up to something."

"Then let's find out."

**…**

It's pretty safe to say that I had never done anything remote to spying on someone. Not even people watching. But after making up an impromptu game plan at seven o' clock in the evening, all that was missing was the high tech equipment and a hell of a lot of weapons. Well, if walkie-talkies counted as high tech equipment. I didn't know where Sasuke and Naruto were able to scavenge up those stupid things on such short notice without leaving the hotel, but I knew that I had those two to blame for this predicament. They were in such a big hurry that they didn't even want to wait for daylight to come, and instead forced all of us outside in the dark. Granted, we each had a flashlight and our cell phones on us, but it was aggravating. Sure, I wanted to find out what in the hell Orochimaru was up to, if he was up to anything at all, but perhaps we could have planned this a little bit better. In the least, we could have slept on it. Ugh, _boys_.

"Can you see him yet?" The loudly whispered voice hissed from my left. I could feel the body heat emanating from beside me and if I slightly turned my head, I knew that I would see a patch of wild blonde hair.

"No, Naruto," I sighed and brought the binoculars back up to my face. Being nighttime, I wasn't quite sure how binoculars were supposed to be helpful. "I can barely see anything, but I don't think he's even here yet."

"Oh," The warm wind blew across his face and sent his hair flying back from his head, giving him an almost Goku like hairstyle. The two of us were perched up on the roof of a thirteen story high building, watching the bright streets threading out below us. After Lee made the phone call to Adric, Sasuke had given us a game plan, complete with mapped out positions and everything. It wasn't that surprising seeing him take charge, seeing as how his father was head of the CIA, or something like that. "How about now?"

"No, Naruto." I repeated again and rolled my eyes. A couple meters down below, Lee was sitting at an outside table to a restaurant that Adric agreed to meet at. Lee had told Adric that he wanted to meet him there for dinner so that he could learn more about the history of the island, or something along those lines. While that was going on, Naruto and I were supposed to be on surveillance so that when Adric left, we could give his whereabouts to Sasuke, who would tail him and see where he went. It was all very 007-y.

"Ugh," Naruto whined and fell onto his back on the concrete roof. He spread his arms out around him and stared up at the starless sky. "This is boring. I thought there'd be at least a little more action."

"Well, what did you expect? High speed car chases and snipers on the rooftops?" I leveled a skeptical look a blonde. "This was your idea anyway, so don't complain."

"But, Lyn-chan!" He turned his head to stare at me with puppy dog eyes, complete with the trembling bottom lip. A strand of hair fell in front of his bright blue eyes, but he didn't seem to notice or care. "I'm bored."

"What do you want me to do about it?" Came my dry response.

"I dunno," I saw him shrug out of the corner of my eye. "Entertain me?"

That last part ended with a hopeful lilt in his voice and I ignored him, choosing to watch the cars below zoom past. The island was actually much prettier at nighttime than I had expected. The town lights were on everywhere, giving off a glow of excitement and wonder. Groups of violinists stood on the cobblestone sidewalks and played outside of restaurants and stores. And ever so often a bunch of people would race off down the streets and alleyways, their calls of excitement and joy echoing throughout the town. There was a comfortable silence that hung over the air before Naruto spoke up again.

"Hey, Lyn-chan?" His voice was softer this time, void of his usual whining, and it caused me to throw him a look. The blonde's face was pointed to the sky once again and a serene expression gave him a look of maturity.

"Hmm?" I responded, turning around until my back was pressed against the metal railings that protected people from falling off the roof. A soft wind blew past, gently pushing back my hair from my face. It was times like these that I was actually glad that I didn't have my glasses. I lifted my face to the darkened sky was well and closed my eyes in relaxation, resting my head back against the cool railing.

"Do you like Sasuke?" The question slapped me out of my daze as if someone had thrown a bucket of water over my head. My eyes snapped open and I stared incredulously at Naruto, who was still staring up at the sky, and chocked on my words.

"I guess so," I shrugged, blinking in confusion. "He's a good friend, I suppose."

"That's not what I meant, Lyn-chan," Naruto sighed as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders and he ran a hand over his face. "What I meant was, do you _like_ like Sasuke?"

"Do I_ what_?"

"Do you like Sasuke?" He asked again, this time turning his head until his eyes met mine. They shone in the dark like a wil'o-the-wisp. He was being completely serious and I couldn't help the blush that slowly began to creep up my neck.

"Um, I, what?" I chocked out.

"Answer the question, Lyn-chan," His voice had turned serious, but there was still that undertone of softness. "Do you?"

"I, uh, no," I answered, somewhat apprehensive. "It's not like I've spent any quality time with him or something. What's with the question?"

"I was just wondering, that's all." There was a hint of a smile on his lips, just the upturn of the corners before he turned back to watching the sky. I sat there for a few moments, letting the blush on my cheeks slowly dissipate before I had the nerve to speak again.

"Do _you_?" I questioned.

"Do I what?" It was his turn to be confused now and by the furrow of his brow, I could tell that he was.

"Like Sasuke." As soon as the words left my lips, he shot up like a bullet, turning to stare at me with his jaw open. His eyes had widened to the size of saucers as he fought for words.

"I, what? No!" His indignant shout was loud enough to echo and for a split second I was afraid that our hiding spot would be given away. "Why would you ask that?"

"Well, you asked me, so I thought..." I shrugged and trailed off, trying to force down my laughter. I turned back around and focused my attention back to the restaurant below, lifting the binoculars to my face. Movement beside Lee caught my eye and I watched as a very tan man made his way over to the green loving boy. Twisting the sides of the binoculars, I zoomed in just enough to be able to make out a green and white stripped hat. "Hey, there he is."

"What?" Naruto immediately sat up straight, back to his normal self, and crawled his way across the rooftop until he was kneeling besides me. "Where? Lemme see."

Shrugging, I handed him the spy device and watched as he brought them up to his eyes and aimed them towards the two men below us. Reaching into the bag laying near my feet, I pulled out the black walkie-talkie and after adjusting the volume, I pressed the button on the side.

"Hey," I spoke into the device, suddenly feeling completely badass. "He's moving."

"Good," Came a masculine voice after a moment of silence. I could hear the sound of cars whizzing past when he spoke and I had to wonder where he was. "Which way is he going?"

"Uh," I looked up at Naruto who turned around and mouthed 'East' before continuing with his survaleance. "He's headed East."

"Hn," Sasuke replied from over the device. His voice almost brought a blush to my cheeks since it completely reminded me of the conversation I had just had moments before. "He's headed towards the abandoned part of town."

"So what's that supposed to mean?" I questioned.

"I don't know," The Uchiha said. "But I'm going to find out. Go meet up with Lee and see what he got on Adric, I'll get back to you when I find out where he's going."

"Aye, aye, agent 00 Duck Butt," I didn't say this over the walkie-talkie, but out loud to myself instead. "Hey, Naruto. We have to go meet up with Lee."

It didn't take long for Naruto and I to clamor down the stairs that lead to the roof. We had to walk down thirteen flights of stairs though, and that wore out my legs. I may not have been the pudgiest person in the world, but that didn't mean that I was in shape what-so-ever. The metal stairs that shook under our feet weren't very stable and I had a brief vision of what would happen if they collapsed beneath us. Finally, we emerged from the last flight of stairs at a white door that lead to the outside of the building. Honestly, it was a pretty stupid place for a staircase leading to a roof.

I sighed in relief as my booted feet touched grass and I took off with Naruto at my side, his feet pounding on the soft soil. It wasn't until we rounded on the other side of the building and touched solid sidewalk that we slowed down. People were going this way and that, pushing through the two of us and causing us to become separated. The loud sounds of cars beeping their horns and vendors shouting their wares began to grate on my nerves. I was thankful when I finally caught up with Naruto on the other side of the street with a waiting Lee.

"Hey." I greeted them, my breath puffing into the warm air.

"Hello, Lyn-chan!" Lee shouted as soon as he saw me. "We were just waiting for you to get here."

I nodded at his response before asking, "So how did it go?"

"Not so well," Lee shook his head and leaned back against a stone wall that ran parallel with the sidewalk. I moved closer to Naruto as a group of rowdy teenagers stormed through and crossed my arms securely over my chest. "He did not give anything away."

"What'd you say?" The question cam from Naruto who had closed in so that the three of us formed a tight triangle.

"Well," Lee began, reaching up to scratch the tip of his nose. "After he sat down, I began to question him on the history of the island, just like Sasuke told me to. He started to give me a long explanation on how the town was formed and basically everything there was to know. After that I started to sneak in questions about his friends and family, just like we planned, but he avoided them every time, as if he were trying to shy away from the questions."

"So you never found out anything about him?" I asked, biting my lip in contemplation. "Did he say anything important? Like maybe what his old job was, if he had one? Or something like that?"

"No, nothing," Lee shook his head negatively. "The only thing I learned was that sometimes people like conduct very bad business in the abandoned part of town."

"Abandoned part of town?" I repeated, my mind beginning to turn with the new information. Hadn't Adric been heading to the abandoned part of town? This was starting to get sketchy, and it only made our suspicions of the tour guide more firmly placed.

"What kind of bad business?" Naruto questioned, his voice gaining more excitement the more he rattled on. "Like, the Yakuza? You know, stealing, killing, murdering, things like that?"

Lee didn't get the chance to respond, and I didn't have the chance to tell Naruto that the last two things he listed off were the exact same. Because just then, the walkie-talkie that I had slipped into the pocket of my jacket went off.

"Sorano," Sasuke's hurried voice was muffled from the inside of my jacket pocket. "Grab Naruto and Lee and meet me in the abandoned part of town near the warehouses. I've found something."

**...**

By the time that we had made it to the abandoned part of town, the moon had risen to the highest point in the sky. The taxi pulled up to a long gravel road and came to a complete stop. Around neglected grass grew tall and I knew that they had to at least be up to my waist. There were collapsed buildings that lay half re-built, as if someone had started the job, but something or someone made them drop what they were doing. The running of the taxi's rumbling engine was all the noise that I could hear and I stared unwillingly out of the window.

"That'll be twenty dollars and fifty cents." The driver's gravel voice grunted from the front seat and I watched as Naruto, who sat on the other side of Lee, slipped out his wallet and pulled out a fifty dollar bill.

"Eh heh heh," The blonde sheepishly scratched his head. "All I have is a fifty, so keep the change." He passed the bill to the driver, who grunted in appreciation, and the thought passed my mind that he must have been somehow related to Sasuke. Opening the taxi doors, the three of us climbed out of the leather smelling car and out into the sketchy open field.

"'Ya sure the three of 'ya ain't up to no good?" The taxi driver aimed the question at us from inside the car. An unlit cigarette dangled from his fish like lips and his beady eyes regarded us with suspicion. I grinned, throwing all of my charm into the smile.

"Don't worry, we're angels," I could tell that the taxi driver didn't believe me, but he grunted anyway before rolling up the window and driving off, leaving us standing in the quiet field. "So what now? Do we just wait for Sasuke?"

"I am not sure," Lee added his input from beside me. He turned his head, taking in the abandoned warehouses around us before running a hand through his dark hair. "Sasuke did say that he would meet us, so perhaps we should wait."

"Well I think this place is creepy." Naruto shuddered and made his way over to us. I couldn't help but silently agree with his statement. Looking around, I could almost picture the people and workers who habited the buildings around us and it made me wonder why they were abandoned in the first place.

"I guess I can understand why people do bad business here." I said out loud. I didn't know what it was about that place that made me feel inclined to whisper. It didn't take long for a figure to begin emerging from the shadows, causing the three of us to suck in air. I had the brief urge to run but then the features of the figure began to take shape and the thought fled from my mind.

"Sasuke," Naruto sighed in relief, throwing a hand over his heart in exaggeration. "I thought you were someone from the Yakuza to kill us or something."

"Idiot," Sasuke stopped in front of us and looked us all over before nodding his head towards the direction he came. "I followed Adric here and waited for him to leave before I went into the warehouse."

"What did you find?" Lee questioned in curiosity.

"Yeah," Naruto joined in, his voice rising in excitement again. "What did you find? Dead bodies? Treasure? A group of criminal masterminds?"

"No, Dobe," The Uchiha deadpanned before turning around and retracing his steps. He tossed a look over his shoulder when he noticed that we weren't following and sighed. "It's something that you'll want to see."

I exchanged looks with Lee before we took off behind Naruto and Sasuke and deeper into the shadows. As we were walking, I noticed that the further we got from where we started, the more that the buildings started to come together. The high grass on either side of us helped to conceal our movements, but it also probably contained gross insects or worse-snakes. It seemed like we were walking for hours before we finally reached the last warehouse in the row. Sasuke came to a stop and waited for the rest of us to catch up before continuing around to the back of the building.

"We can get in from the front entrance, but I prefer going through the back." It didn't take long for us to round to the other side and we all stood by the doors, wading in the waist high grass.

"What's in there?" I questioned, throwing an uncertain look at the double doors. The appeared to be rusty. Red dust covered the sides and ran all the way down to the bottom before dropping off onto the grass. In all honesty, it looked like it hadn't been touched in years. Instead of answering, Sasuke made his way over to the doors and pulled one open. Surprisingly, they opened without a sound and I followed as the rest of the group filed their way in. What I saw inside made me stop short.

"Whoa." I heard Naruto's shaky voice from somewhere in front of me, but I couldn't move to see where. I was glued to the ground in shock and disgust. Someone had left the lights on, which only made it easier to see the gruesome scene.

Shelves among shelves were stacked high with glass aquariums filled with various jars of unknown substances. Tables lay out on the floor, some with dark looking liquid that looked suspiciously like blood. Some had different parts on them that I could barely recognize. Hearts, eyes, and what looked like small bits of skin. Trays lay on top of boxes with various equipment sprawled out on them and I was able to make out a scalpel, a few knives that looked used, but the rest was unfamiliar.

In the corner was a box that looked like it contained snake skins, as if someone had patiently waited for dozens of snakes to shed them. But the worst part, the worst part was the smell. It was as if something had rotted inside of the building for days, weeks even, and no one had bothered to clean it out.

"What…what is this place?" My voice came out shaky and I could feel my palms starting to sweat. Lee came up from beside me and took my hand in his, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"I'm not sure," Sasuke met my eyes. "But whoever created it is up to no good."

"Oh, you don't know how right you are." The unknown voice caused all of us to whip around towards a door that looked like it lead to a separate room. Standing there was a very tan man and the green and white stripped hat on his head caused a sinister shadow to be cast on to his face. "You kids really should learn to keep your noses out of other people's business."

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><p><strong>Tehee. Cliffhanger. I'm such a horrible person, aren't I? :D <strong>

**Review? (:**


	13. What the Bleep Just Happened?

**Hello my fellow Naruto fans! Okay firstly, I want to apologize for my lack of existence for the past few months. To be honest, I got a job, met a guy, and got caught up in all this drama. I needed a break from writing, but fear not, for I have returned! Updates won't be as often as before because my mom got rid of her computer so I can only write at my dad's house. But I shall not abandon thee, because I refuse to abandon this story. I love it too much. Anyway, on to more important things: the chappie! So read on my faithful readers! This is more of a filler chapter to tell you that I'm still alive. That's why it's so short.**

**Ps: I'm still looking for a beta for anyone who is interested. So please PM me if you are. And sorry in advance for any typos.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Hats, or Evil behavior. I only own the plot and my OC's.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen<strong>

**What the Bleep Just Happened?**

"Oh, you don't know how right you are." The unknown voice caused all of us to whip around towards a door that looked like it lead to a separate room. Standing there was a very tan man and the green and white stripped hat on his head caused a sinister shadow to be cast on to his face. "You kids really should learn to keep your noses out of other people's business."

"Adric!" Naruto growled from beside me, marching angrily forward until he stood only a few feet from Adric. His blonde hair hung into his brightly lit eyes. "What the hell is going on here?"

The French man tilted his head slightly to the side and a smirk pulled up the corner of his pale lips. "Oh, come now. There's no need for anger here, children." His voice, cheerful and friendly, held a dark undertone. It quietly made it's way into my ears and sent a shiver down my spine. We shouldn't have come here and every instinct that I had was screaming at me to run.

As if sensing my thoughts, Lee squeezed my hand even tighter in his unsweaty grasp. I returned the pressure and took in a deep breath through my nose. See, I wasn't the type of person who kept their cool in dangerous situations. I mean sure, I was perfectly fine when it came to hunting down the bastard that stood confidently in front of us. But having my life in danger was a whole different situation. And taking grotesque scene around me, i had no doubt that this man could kill us and still sleep tonight.

"Anger my ass!" Naruto narrowed his eyes at the hat wearing man. "Just who do you thin-"

"Naruto." Sasuke's monotone voice sliced through the atmosphere and halted the sentence that was making it's way out of the blonde's mouth. Naruto whipped his head around to stare down the Uchiha prodigy. Glowing blue eyes met onyx and something passed from one to the other. As if reading Sasuke's thoughts, Naruto grumbled, but nontheless stepped back in obidience. "Yelling will gain nothing, so calm down and restrain yourself."

He was serious. His onyx eyes were dark with some unknown emotion and the raven hair that framed his face threw it into shadow. The Uchiha's pale skin seemed to almost glow under the cheap lights in the warehouse and it was like staring at some eurithreal being. I had never seen him like this. Sure, he could be cold, but there right at that moment he looked deadly.

"Ah," Adric grinned, his white teeth contrasting with his dark skin. Slight wrinkled appeared at the corner of his eyes with the movement and for a moment he almost appeared to look kind. But then it was gone in the blink of an eye. "The Uchiha prodigy lives up to his namesake I see."

"So you know who I am." Sasuke asked, somehow making the sentence sound as if it were a statement. His face showed boredom, but his eyes were swirling with thousands of unspoken thoughts and questions.

"Of course. Who hasn't heard of you around here?" Adric grinned once again, this time closing his eyes.

"What do you mean by 'around here'?" Lee questioned from beside me. The French man's eyes opened, his dark brown irises staring in our direction. I almost hit Lee right then and there for bringing Adric's attention to us. He tilted his head before fixing the hat perched atop his head.

"I simply meant what I said," He said, successfully confusing the crap out of me. I mean, what the hell was _that_ supposed to mean? "But as I have stated once before, it is no business of yours."

Adric paused before meeting the onyx eyes of Sasuke. "Not yet at least."

"Not yet?" The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. I clamped my mouth shut as our tour guide's eyes slowly slid over to me.

"Yes," Was his response after a brief pause. "It it not yet time. But when it is, you will know."

My heart dropped into my stomach. Not yet time? Wait, what? I stared confusingly at the man in front of us, my mind spinning a mile a minute. What did he mean by that? Was he trying to say that we were going to be involved in this...this plan? Or whatever it was. Because if so, I was out. No _way_ was I going to go through this again.

"How exactly do you know Orochimaru?" Sasuke asked, his eyes flickering to meet mine for a brief second. "Is he in on this too?"

Dark brown eyes narrowed for a second before rising to the ceiling in thought. "Orochimaru and I are...business partners. We appear to share the same..._ideas." _The last word was uttered in a dark tone and it held a hint of mirth. "But that is a story for another time, children."

Adric's met each and every one of our eyes, seeming to take us in. "Until then, I suppose."

He turned to go, spinning on the heel of brown leather his flip-flops. The casual robe that he wore slipped down one shoulder, revealing a black tattoo. From where I was standing, I could just make out what looked like three upside down six's. They were arranged in a circle on the back of his right shoulder and I stared until he lifted a hand to push his sleeve back into place.

"Wait just a second!" Naruto shouted, running ahead to steps after Adric before stopping. The man paused in his steps but didn't turn around. "Do you really think you can just walk out, right now? Oh no you don't! Come back here and tell us what the hell is going on!"

"And why should I listen to a pathetic brat like you?" Adric answered in a dark voice, sending tingles down my spine. And not the good kind either.

"Because we're not leaving until you do! And if you try to leave, I'll stop you!" His eyes were narrowed into tight slits and his arm was outstretched as he jabbed a finger in Adric's direction. "Believe it!"

"Oh is that so?" Dark chuckles met my ears as the man with his back turned to us laughed. He turned to look over his shoulder at us before forming his next words. "And what makes you think that you'll have the strength for that?"

What the hell was that supposed to mean? I glanced over towards Naruto who had his mouth open to retort and that was when it started. The lights hanging above us suddenly shut off, sending the room into complete darkness.

"What the hell?" Naruto exploded as if reading my mind. I couldn't see a single thing around me and I could feel panic starting to bubble up before a sharp pain cut into the back of my ankle.

"Owch, dammit!" I yelled out in pain and felt my hand slipping out of Lee's.

"Sorano?" I could just make out Sasuke's voice through the darkness. I whipped my head in his direction before stumbling sideways, lightheaded. Even though I couldn't see a thing, I could still see dark spots forming in my vision. "Nng!"

The Uchiha let out a grunt of pain and I heard the distinct sound of running footsteps before I felt myself slipping sideways. My head hit the hard concrete floor and I didn't register the pain as I just lay there, my vision going dark. The last thing I head was the sound of Naruto cursing and a body hitting the ground next to me.

Then I fell into unconsciousness.

xoxoxo

"Lyn-chaaaaaan!"

I turned in annoyance and glared at the blonde who was currently poking my shoulder. He had his lips pushed out in a cute pout and his pretty eyes pleaded with me. A chunk of hair fell across his forehead and into his vision, blocking one eye from my sight. I rolled my own before turning back to what I was doing. The ocean breeze blew my hair out behind me as the boat sped across the open waters. Sighing in relaxation, I closed my eyes and leaned back further into the lounge chair on the deck, feeling the plastic flaps dig into my back. It was a beautiful day and so I wanted to enjoy it.

For some unknown reason, I had woken up with an extremely painful headache. I was sprawled out on the bed in my room of my boat, and when I had unsteadily made my way over to the window, I saw the ocean waves spanning out around us. I don't know how we ended up on the back on the boat, or why we were speeding back towards Konoha. All I could remember was that something had happened last night. I didn't know what, and whenever I tried to search my mind, everything blurred together.

So the only thought that plagued my mind was how short our vacation was. And how close it was coming to an end. So all I wanted to do was enjoy it while it lasted, but apparently even that was going to be ruined.

"Please, Lyn-chan!" Naruto whined once again in my ear and I tried my best to tune him out. "Make me breakfast. I'm _hungry_!"

"Then get something to eat, idiot." A voice cut into the conversation and I slightly opened my eyes to see a shirtless Sasuke heading in our direction. A white towel hung over his shoulders and strands of his wet, raven hair stuck to his forehead. The sun was directly behind him in the clear sky and it caused a glow to circle around his head like a halo, illuminating his features.

Drops of water slid onto his dark eyelashes and got caught there before splattering onto the wooden deck. And I couldn't help but watch one particular bead make its way slowly down his pecks as it continued on its path down his toned stomach before it too, hit the wood. My eyes seemed to linger before I tore them away. No. I would _not_ check out _Sasuke Uchiha_. I mean, sure we had some sort of friendship now, but that did not mean that I should start to check the guy out. And no way would I do that again. Ever. Because if he ever caught me, I would never live it down.

"But I don't feel like cooking anything!"

The sudden voice brought me back from my thoughts and I let my eyes lazily glide through my sunglasses over to the blonde kneeling beside my chair. He had turned his puppy dog pout on to Sasuke and whined.

"That sounds like a personal problem to me." I muttered before stretching my legs out in front of me with a sigh.

"But Lyn-chan," Naruto continued to whine. "I want _you_ to cook me something! All I can make is ramen and there's no more in the kitchen!"

"Sucks."

"But please!"

"Nope."

"_Why noooooot_?"

"Because I said so."

"Why do all woman say that? It doesn't make any sense. Please Lyn,chan, I'm starving."

"Not my problem."

"What? You're so mean! Why won't you?!"

"Because I said so."

"But-"

"Naruto, if you ask me one more time, I'm going to throw you over the railing and into the cold ocean." I was met with silence and I let a small smile tug on the corner of my lips before I closed my eyes once again in relaxation.

"Sasuuukee," The knucklehead's voice grated on my ears. "Will you-"

"No," The Uchiha cut in and I peaked my eyes open just in time to see the man's annoyed expression before he sighed.

"Fine then!" Naruto huffed and stood up from his crouch and stomped his foot. After childishly glaring at each of us in turn, he turned on his heel and marched his way across the deck and to a door that led below. As he disappeared, his voice floated up towards us. "Leeeee! I'm hungry!"

"Idiot." Rolling my eyes at his antics, I turned my attention to Sasuke who was looking in the direction that Naruto disappeared. The sun threw half of his profile into shadow and his eyes appeared even more darker than usual. If that was possible.

"Sasuke."

He casually turned to me, onyx eyes taking me in as I lay there in a white and black bikini. I couldn't help but feel extremely self conscious as he raised a brow for me to continue. Now normally, I wouldn't be caught dead laying around half naked. But I had woken up early in the morning before everyone else and I hoped that maybe laying out in the sun would help the headache that continued to pound my skull.

"Hn?" He answered and I turned my attention out towards the passing waves.

"I know that this is probably a weird question and all, but did you wake up feeling, I don't know. Out of it this morning?" He didn't answer and for a moment I thought that he probably never would before his voice broke the comfortable silence.

"No."

"Oh." I muttered. So maybe it was just me that had a bad feeling stirring in the bottom of my stomach. Something wasn't right and I couldn't put my finger on it, which was starting to drive me insane. I mean, Naruto hadn't mentioned anything odd, so I just hoped that I was making it all up.

"Sorano." Sasuke's voice broke through my thoughts. I focused back on him as he sat on the edge of the lounge chair next to mine. His onyx eyes met mine and he seemed to be searching for something before he spoke the words that caused my heart to stop.

"Go on a date with me."

My eyes widened and my mouth parted open slightly in shock. He stared back at me with a serious expression on his face and I felt my heart in my throat. Was I delirious or had Sasuke Uchiha, resident cold hearted bad boy, just asked me out on a..._date_? I couldn't help but say the first thing that came to mind.

"Uh," Nice, Sorano. Nice. "What?"

"Go on a date with me." He restated with a smirk of amusement pulling at the corners of his lips. It was more like a statement than a question. His eyes didn't break contact with mine I had to fight down about a hundred different emotions. You see, all I wanted to know was: Why in the _hell_ would Sasuke Uchiha ever ask me out? Ever? He had every girl falling at his feet for a chance to just _speak_ to him. Let alone go out on a date with him. But here he was, sitting in front of me, speaking the words that they all wanted to hear.

"No."

The answer slipped from my mouth and seemed to stun him for a moment. And to be honest, it stunned me as well. His onyx eyes were questioning, but before he could open his mouth to respond, the door that lead below deck slammed open. It hit the wall behind it and bounced off a bit, vibrating with the force.

"Oi!" A blonde head peaked through the opening and scanned the deck before landing on Sasuke and I. His blonde spikes were in disarray and his clothes were skewed as if he had just came in contact with a bear. Naruto's blonde eyes were wild and he stared wide eyed at us. He spoke slowly, almost as if he was in a trance. "Charles said to tell you guys that we'll be docking soon."

"Naruto," I watched him in confusion, completely brushing aside the strange atmosphere between Sasuke and I. "What happened to you?"

"Lee's cranky when he wakes up," He spoke, staring at me wide eyed in fear. "Anyway, come on and pack up before we get there."

I took one last awkward glance towards Sasuke, who was staring right back at me, before I got up and followed Naruto below deck. The whole time I could feel onyx eyes boring into the back of my head.

xoxoxoxo

"Ahh! Home sweet home." Lee grinned as he set foot onto the gravel of the parking lot. He had his bright green duffel bag slung over his shoulder and he lifted his head and breathed in deeply.

By now the sun had made its way to the horizon as if began to set and it cast rays of vibrant hues into the sky. I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was go home and fall asleep. It had been a long trip and my body, mind, and patience was stressed beyond breaking point. Because there was only so much Naruto that one person could handle.

"Mmmmm," Speaking of, the blonde dropped his bag next to Sasuke's Porche. "I can't _wait_ to get some ramen! I'm _starving__!"_

I rolled my eyes and watched as Sasuke approached his car and unlocked the doors. It was strange being around him. I mean sure, he was acting as if nothing had ever happened, but whenever I turned my back I could feel his piercing stare boring into my back. I didn't think it was that big of a deal that I rejected him because he could ask any other girl the same question and they wouldn't hesitate with an answer. And maybe, just maybe, that was why he was acting odd. Because I was the first girl to reject him.

Shaking my head, I rid myself of those thoughts. It wasn't as if I was important enough to him for my rejection to actually bother him. Maybe I was just imagining things and he only asked me out because he could. Or because it was some kind of joke. I sighed and watched as Naruto exchanged words with Sasuke and Lee.

It was going to be a long, long ride back home.

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><p><strong>I was surprised how that ending turned out to be honest. I wasn't going to have Lyn reject him, but I changed plans last minute, Mwahahaha!<strong>

**Review? :)**


	14. The Runaway

**Ello my lovies! It's been so long, hasn't it! Sorry for the delay and I know that you don't want to hear excuses. So! Since it took me so long to update this, I've decided to make this chapter longer than my usual ones! :D Anyway, thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favorited. You keep me writing! Well, onto the story! Oh, and sorry in advance for any typo's. I know I haven't caught them all, I never do. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, the text on attraction, or Naruto's idiocy. I however, do own the plot and the OCs.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen<strong>

**The Runaway**

"_How dare you!"_

_The scream of outrage echoed, rising higher and higher in pitch until it could break glass. Those three words seemed to twist around each other and repeat over and over. The blindingly white room stretched on for miles and miles; a never ending oblivion. There was no floor, no ceiling, and no walls; just empty space. _

"_You stole my Sasuke-kun from me!"_

_The scream, becoming clearer, was obviously feminine. Its pitch was deafeningly high and there was no doubt that if anyone else were to hear it their ears drums would have ruptured. I stared into the empty space, slowly moving my gaze around. It was as if I was not in control of myself and was trapped in someone else's body; I could feel nothing, almost as if I were weightless. _

"_Don't kid yourself." _

_The voice changed, taking on a masculine tone. It was a deep monotonous voice that I recognized almost immediately and I whipped my head around as fast as my body would allow. The movement was sluggish and my thoughts were hazy, making it hard to process any single thought. _

"_You don't belong here."_

_My eyes fell upon a figure standing not twenty feet from me and he matched the voice perfectly. The blinding light cast aglow his features, only succeeding to make him appear angelic, betraying the words that formed on his pale pink lips. Dark onyx eyes stared me down, long eyelashes casting small shadows onto his face. His black hair gently blew with an unknown wind and sent the pieces of hair that were framing his face into his line of vision. _

_He was dressed in what appeared to be a white robe made out of the finest silk. The neckline dipped low, revealing a toned chest and pale skin. His pants, unlike the robe, were black and sewed with a material that looked like wool. A metal sheaf was wound around his thick waist with a silver cord. The handle of a long sword peaked out from the metal, black ribbons wrapped around the dark grey grip. He towered over me, making me have to look up in order to completely take in the sight of him. His hands which were dangling by his sides, clenched into fists, betraying the calm look on his features._

"_Go home." I paused my slow thoughts in confusion._

"_Home..?" My words, much like my thoughts, came out slow and childlike as if I were just learning how to speak. _

"_You don't belong with us. This isn't your world." _

"_I don't… understand." My fingers twitched with the need to grasp onto a thread of sense. Where was I?_

"_You will," He started to turn, elegantly twisting on his black sandaled heel. _

"_Sasuke! Wait!" He didn't pause and I ran forward in slow motion, reaching out a hand to grasp onto the material of his shirt. _

"Lyn!" Sunlight flitted across my eyelids as I slowly became aware of my body. "Lyn? Get up! There's someone on the phone for you!"

I opened my eyes groggily; my thoughts still slow in processing. My mother, dressed in a fluffy blue bathrobe was leaning over my bed, her dark curls dripping with water. Her piercing green eyes stared down at me and I slowly blinked my own. She had my cell phone grasped in her hand and I didn't have time to question her before she thrust it into my face. Motioning with her hands, she instructed me to put it against my ear.

"'Ello?" I spoke into the receiver, my voice still throaty from sleep.

"Sorano." Rubbing my eyes, I sat up straighter on my bed. The feminine voice was familiar to me, and to be honest, it was way too early in the morning to hear it. What a great wakeup call.

Notice the sarcasm?

I glanced at the alarm clock that sat on a tiny wooden table by my bed. It's red numbers, which were blurred from me not wearing my glasses. 8:49 AM softly glowed as if it were taunting me. When I looked back on this moment, I had to blame my out of character attitude on the fact that it was obnoxiously early. On a day that school was out, no less. And not only was it inhumanly early, but I had just gotten back from what had to have been the strangest vacation that I had ever been on. Just yesterday, Sasuke, heir to the Uchiha throne, had asked me out on a date. And I rejected him.

That, in and of itself, was enough to make anyone cringe. No, it wasn't because I regretted my choice or something stupid like that, but it was because I may have just signed a death wish. If the psycho Uchiha fan club got ahold of that information, I would most definitely be buried six feet under; alive. I was _so_ screwed.

"Sakura?" My mom, satisfied that I was now speaking coherent sentences left my room, her white slippered feet padding down the hallway. "What do you want?"

I grimaced at my choice of words and wished that I could take them back immediately. I was trying to get on the good side of Sakura Haruno, and I was already doing a horrible job. Not that it was a very easy one anyway.

"What do I want?" Sakura growled into the receiver. I could feel the animosity from my end of the line and I had a mental picture of me hanging up the phone. Too bad I wasn't _that _brave. Or stupid. "I want to get this stupid science project over with. That's what I want. You should be grateful that I'm even going out of my way here."

"Okay." I responded softly because I had no other idea as to what to say to that.

"I'll send you my address. Be here by ten and you better not be late." The background noise that came from her end of the call cut off as she hung up. I held my cell phone out in front of my and stared at it as if it would offer up an excuse to somehow get me out of that mess. It didn't speak, but instead beeped quietly in my hand, signaling that I had a text message and I swiped my thumb across the screen.

**New message from: 3564567865:**

_2145 Ryuu Meadow Court, 23349. Don't be late._

I saved the number in my phone and wrote down the address, reluctantly dragging myself out of my warm bed and into the bathroom to take a shower. It wasn't going to be a good day. At all.

o.o.o.o.o.

Pulling up to Sakura's house made me feel like I had been thrown into a whole other dimension. Sure, I went on Sasuke's family yacht, but this was entirely different. The Haruno estate was huge, no surprise there. It was settled on the outskirts of an extremely rich neighborhood filled with unnecessarily large homes with great big yards that seemed to stretch on for miles. The grass looked like it was perfectly tended to, and a handful of trees lined the driveway leading up to her house. They had beautiful pink petals and the trees themselves towered over our car as my mom slowly pulled up to the house. Sakura trees. Of course.

The home itself was gigantic. Its exterior was painted a soft beige color and it rose four stories high into the air. White stone pillars held up part of the house and I stared in awe as the car slid to a stop. Five small steps, stretching from one end of the porch to the other, lead up to a pair of wooden double doors. Two great big bay windows were placed on either side and soft looking blue curtains shielded the interior from view.

"This is the place?" My mom asked as she leaned over to my side of the car, looking up at the house with wide eyes.

"Yeah," I responded, glancing down at the paper in my hands to double check. "This is the place."

"Hm," She hummed before glancing back down at me. "Call me when you're done and I'll come pick you up."

I had the urge to shake my head, tell my mother never mind and just forget about the whole thing. That thought quickly went out the window because not only did this project need to be finished, but I wasn't trying to be murdered that night.

"Will do." I murmured instead, reluctantly pulling the car's door handle and stepping onto the cobble stoned driveway. It was the type that circled around the front of the house before leading back out to the road and I had to resist rolling my eyes. What a waste of money. But then again, they seemed to have enough of it to go around.

Pulling myself together, I shut the car door behind me and swung my messenger bag over my shoulder. I approached the front porch carefully, putting one foot in front of the other as I ascended the stairs.

There was one of those old fashioned door knockers hanging from each door. They were metal and in the shape of rose petals. I couldn't help but think that Sakura's family had to have had some kind of obsession with flowers. It was obvious that her father must not wear the pants in _that_ family.

Taking a deep breath, I reached up and swung one of the knockers against the door, the sound reverberating throughout the house. I heard the sounds of barking from somewhere within and I shuddered at the thought of a giant guard dog just waiting to tear me to pieces. Other than that, it was quiet and I was just about to reach up to knock again when the door swung open under my fingertips.

Sakura stood on the other side of the threshold, staring up at me through green slanted eyes. It wasn't until that moment that I noticed the pinkette was actually a few inches shorter than me. It probably shouldn't have made a difference, but it made her appear just a little less intimidating. She was dressed in a light washed pair of jeans and a white long-sleeved top with some kind of design on it. Her short pink hair was in its usual style, except she had used an emerald clip to push back her bangs. All in all, there stood one of my worst nightmares, dressed so casually.

"It's about time you got here," She spoke, glancing over my shoulder once before stepping aside to let me in. "And take off your shoes."

I followed her instructions and slipped my shoes off, placing them aside and letting my socked feet hit that smooth wooden floor. The inside of the house was just as amazing as the outside. The ceilings were high and I had stepping into what looked like a living room. To my right were sat fancy looking sofas and love seats, all arranged around to face a beautiful stone fireplace. There was already a fire there, crackling and giving off a slightly homey feeling. There was one step leading downwards from the other side of the fireplace and it stretched off into a hallway beyond my sight.

To my left was a staircase that lead upwards and down a corridor that I guessed lead to the bedrooms. There was a walkway right above me and I could just make out a few white doors. In front of me was a well-spaced hall that only stretched a few feet until widening into a brightly lit kitchen. All of the appliances looked expensive and top notch and I couldn't help but compare it to my own.

"Follow me." Sakura's voice came from my left and she brushed past me. I followed her up the grand staircase and held back an eye roll at her hospitality. Well, if she wasn't going to play nice, I was at least going to try.

"Nice house." I muttered, running my hand along the smooth brown banister and over the carved shapes in the wood.

"Thanks," Came her unemotional reply. As we reached the top of the stairs, she branched off to the left and I was left following after her like a lost puppy. "For the project I figured that we'd do a power point highlighting the different types of attraction and why people are only attracted to certain types."

"Sounds easy enough." Sakura came to stop outside of a white door and grabbed the brass handle without hesitation. It turned easily under her hand and I followed her as she stepped inside what I guessed was her bedroom. The walls were painted a light blue to my surprise, and I had to stop myself from sighing as my feet met the soft grey shag carpeting.

Her room was fairly large and most definitely bigger than my own. A four poster bed sat smack dab in the middle, its back pressed against one softly painted wall. There were various knick-knacks scattered across the neat space, but what really caught my attention was the giant 47'' flat screen television that was hung on the wall. It was placed right above an expensive looking desk and I had to hold back my envy.

"We might as well just get this over with." I blinked at the voice and turned to watch Sakura as she tossed a couple of books from her desk onto her bed. She then grabbed a black MacBook and sat down in a chair not a few feet from her. Placing the computer in her lap, she crossed her legs indian style and popped open the lid. To be honest, it was weird to see her acting so casual.

"There should be some information in those books," She pointed to the pile she tossed onto the bed. "I picked them up from the library this morning. Just look through those for some information."

Not knowing how to respond, I nodded and went to sit on the edge of the bed. It dipped down as it took my weight and I sank down into its soft clutches. I grabbed one of the complex looking books and ran a hand over the cover. _Attraction: For Dummies. _Huh. Biting back a sarcastic remark, I thumbed open the book and scanned a couple of pages.

"_Attraction. The very word attracts. Why should it not? Attraction is fantastically attractive. Especially when it is powerful and mutual. Attraction can provide a link to another human so irresistible that it feels like an enchantment, one that renders all other needs and duties oddly meaningless, tiresome and irrelevant_."

I blinked, taking in the words.

"_Away from the object of desire, one is fretful and distracted, unable to eat, unable to sleep, unable to concentrate. All that matters is the next encounter, for with its consummation one will feel euphoric, blissful, thrumming with life and with tenderness. With that other person, one will feel that nothing is missing any more. Couples so drawn, talk of being two halves, complete only when they are together_."

A snort escaped my nose and my eyebrows lifted in amusement. All of that sounded just a little bit far-fetched. I mean, there was no way that a person could be so drawn to another that they would starve themselves or something stupid like that. Then again, this was coming from the girl who had only one crush in her whole life. Yup, just one. And I never told the boy, seeing as how even at the fragile age of eight, I was still a coward.

Still, I couldn't imagine falling so helplessly in love with someone to the point where they became more important than life itself. I glanced up, my eyes taking in the sight of the pink haired girl in front of me. Her short hair gently brushed over her shoulders as she leaned in to read the computer screen. The soft glow glistened off of her emerald eyes and her perfectly sculpted brow wrinkled in thought.

Was this girl really hopelessly in love with Sasuke? Or was it just some unhealthy obsession merely based on his appearance? I couldn't understand how a person could pine after someone for so long. And from what I've heard whispering through the halls, she'd been after him for a long time.

"What are you staring at?" The snappish voice startled me from my thoughts and I found myself staring into annoyed green eyes. I had been so deep in thought that I hadn't even realized that I had been staring. Wow, what a weirdo.

"Nothing," I sighed, shaking my head as I tapped the hard covered book in my lap. "We could use some of this."

"Give it here," She left no room for argument so I passed the book over. Sakura snatched it from my hands and scanned the pages herself, pausing every few seconds to type something into the computer.

"I'm not in love with Sasuke." I felt myself blurt out and I snapped my jaws shut. Where that had come from, I had no idea. It just came out like word vomit and I knew that it wouldn't end well. Staring wide eyed, I half expected for Sakura's head to start spinning around as she spewed fire at my face for even mentioning Sasuke.

I had no idea where that boldness had come from, but I had an idea. Ever since I had been forced to hang out with Naruto, Lee, and Sasuke, my confidence had grown. Yeah, maybe not enough for me to go strutting through the halls of Konoha High with the shortest skit I could find. But I had been starting to find myself saying things when I normally would have stayed silent. Whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, I didn't know. And at that time I had no idea just how much more they would impact my life.

Sakura lifted her head and stared at me through slit eyes. She seemed to be taking me in, sizing me up and deciding whether or not I was a threat. Her pink lips parted to speak and I winced, anticipating the moment when she would explode. Or attack.

"There should be more information in the rest of those books." Was all she said before she ducked her head back down to the laptop screen.

I blinked, surprised, and felt my jaw unhinge a little. That was it? No screaming fits, threats of murder? I was actually going to make it out alive? I had expected her to at least snap at me for even daring to speak about her precious Sasuke, but I got nothing. Hmm, that was strange. Not that I was complaining or anything. I mean, hey, I liked living.

The rest of the day passed by pretty much the same, with little to no conversation. We got the project done and all we had left to do was present the power point. I had sent a text to my mother earlier and she was already waiting outside. Gathering my stuff, I bid Sakura a quiet goodbye and wasn't surprised when I didn't get one in return. Just as I had slipped out the door and was making my way to my mother's awaiting car was when it happened.

My pocket started vibrating violently in my pocket, and I almost tripped over the porch stairs in surprise. Reaching into my back pocket, I slid my cell phone out and the screen glowed in the growing darkness outside. Bracing a hand against the passenger side door, I stared at the words on the screen before accepting the call and slipping into the car.

"Hello, honey," My mom greeted as she watched me throw my messenger bag into the back seat. "Who's that?"

I knew that she was indicating the reason for the phone pressed to my ear and I shook my head at her, waving at her to start driving. "Hello?"

"Lyn-chan?" The voice on the other side exclaimed. I blinked at their urgency and watched out the window as Sakura's house slowly disappeared into the night.

"Yeah?"

"We need your help! It's an emergency. Get over here as soon as you can; we need you! Now."

…..

Gentle moonlight lit the night sky, shining down through the dark clouds. The night air was crisp, but not cold enough to freeze my breath as I stepped out of the car and onto the hard gravel. Trees stuck out eerily in the dark and case shadows that moved with the breeze under the streetlights. A few yards away I could just make out the shapes of two tall figures and I sighed through my nose in exasperation.

"Are you going to be alright here by yourself?" My mother's voice came from behind me as she leaned across the armrests between the car seats. I peeked back in through the open car door and gave her a reassuring but annoyed smile.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Okay," She said skeptically and shrugged her shoulders. "Just make sure to call me if one of your friends can't give you a ride home."

"Okay." I nodded and went to close the car door before her voice stopped me yet again.

"Just don't take too much advantage of those boys." With one last wink she drove off, the door slamming shut before I could do anything more than give off an embarrassed squeak. My mother was way too adamant about me getting a boyfriend and I couldn't help the shudder that went through me.

Shaking it off, I stepped forward onto freshly mowed grass and couldn't help but shiver as the mildew tickled my ankles. After receiving an urgent and panicked phone call, I had been rushed off to Konoha's nature park after my mother had demanded what had happened. It was getting late and if it hadn't been for the fact that Lee had spoken in a scarily serious tone, I would be at home sleeping by then.

I stepped under a streetlight and around a wooden bench before approaching the shadowy figures. They were suspiciously standing near an entrance to the many trees that surrounded the thirty acre park. Their heads were bent together and the stillness of the night carried their voices over. I could barely make out the words, but I instantly recognized the voices.

"Hey guys!" I called out, cupping my hand around my mouth to help amplify my voice. The voices stopped instantly and two head like shapes shaped towards me.

"Lyn-chan!" Both voices echoed each other, though they were easily distinct. The taller of the two broke off and stepped under the lamplight. Naruto's bright blonde hair shone like a beacon in the moonlight and while he was smiling at me, his bright blue eyes were clouded over with worry.

"You are here!" A dark shape came running at me and I braced myself when I felt strong arms encircle my waist, pulling me into a skinny and muscular chest. The scent of freshly mowed grass and soup hit my nose as I was pressed into a cotton shirt.

"Yes, Lee," I mumbled into his chest, my voice coming out muffled. "I made it. Now tell me what's wrong."

Placing my hands against his stomach, I gently pushed him away so that I could breathe again. I looked up into Lee's dark eyes and felt worry gnaw its way into my gut as I saw that his eyes held the same emotions as Naruto's.

"Tell me what's so important that we had to meet here in the middle of the night like some suspicious bank robbers." I joked, trying to lighten the tension. It didn't work. Naruto stepped closer until he was standing in front of me before running a hand through his spiky hair.

"Sasuke's gone."

My brows knit together in confusion and for a second I thought that my ears were playing a trick on me. Sasuke was gone? It took a minute to set in, but after they did the amount of panic that suddenly ran through my body scared me as I took in Naruto's words. "Gone? What do you mean 'gone'?"

"He's missing."

"Missing?" I was starting to feel like an idiot for repeating everything he said, but I couldn't process his words. "What do you mean? How?"

"He was supposed to meet us at Naruto's house four hours ago," Lee suddenly spoke from my right. He was looking into the woods around us. "We tried to call him, but we did not get a response."

"So how do you know he's missing?" I questioned, feeling the panic that had risen slowly start to die down. Of course, leave it to those two to take something completely to the extreme. I should have expected as much. "Maybe he just fell asleep."

"We thought so too, but then when we went to look for him and found his car parked a few blocks away from Lee's house with the keys still in the ignition," Naruto paused and dug around in his pocket and pulled out a familiar black iPhone. "And we found his cell phone lying on the ground by the park.

I let all of this information sink in before letting out a shaky breath. There was no way that Sasuke Uchiha would ever leave his expensive car out in the open for someone to steal, let alone drop his phone and leave his keys in the ignition. I ran a hand through my hair. So he really was missing.

"Did you call the police? Or his family?" I questioned, looking from one worried face to the other.

"We tried the police and we tried his family," Lee's eyes sparked with anger for a split second before becoming panicked again. The change was so fast that I thought I imagined it. "But you cannot fill out a missing person's report until twenty-four hours after they disappear and his parents did not answer."

"So we're going to look for him ourselves."

"I'll help," I nodded with determination and looked them both in the eye. "But where do we start? Here?"

Naruto gave a sharp nod and slid the phone back in his pocket. It was scary to be honest, to see him so serious. "We'll split up and comb through the woods for any more clues. And if we don't find any, we'll tear the whole damn town apart if we have to!"

The seriousness of the situation weighed heavily on all of us as we took in Naruto's words. I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath before opening them. Looking from a worried Lee to a serious and determined Naruto, I felt my fingers dig into my palms.

"Let's find him."

….

The darkness surrounded me like a blanket and the only sounds that pierced the air was the trees swaying gently in the night breeze. I could feel my breath turning to white mist in front of my face as I panted with exhaustion and panic. The temperature had dropped in the last forty minutes and I regretted not wearing a jacket when I left the house that morning. As I dropped to a crouch to crawl through a small opening between two trees, I felt the hard antenna of the walkie-talkie in my back pocket dig into my spine. The ground was cold and I felt bits and pieces of dead leaves sticking to the palms of my hands.

After formulating a brief plan, Naruto, Lee, and I had grabbed some walkie-talkies from the trunk of Naruto's car and set out. We were to call in to each other if we found anything of great importance and if we didn't find anything within an hour, we were going to meet back up by the park entrance. I had raised the question of why we couldn't just use our cell phones, but that idea was immediately shot down.

"There is no cell phone service inside of the park," Lee had answered. "According to the environmentalists, the cellular waves would disturb the animals and the plant life. So they never installed a cell phone tower."

I switched the heavy flashlight to my other hand and blew hot air onto it to try and bring back warmth. It was a failed attempt to get warm and I shivered violently. It had to have been around midnight and here I was, stuck deep in the woods looking for a lost teenager. Exactly how I wanted to spend my night. I sighed, trying to exhale some of the worry out of my gut for the formerly mentioned teen. It gnawed at me and I could do nothing to satiate it.

The mere fact that I was this worried over a person that I barely knew scared me. I mean sure, we had spent a whole weekend together and yeah, I would consider Sasuke and I to be… friends. So what was it that was scaring me so much? Maybe it was the fact that I hadn't had anyone to worry about in years besides my mother. Or maybe it was something else; something that sat deep in my gut where I refused to acknowledge it. Could I possibly have feelings for the annoying, self-righteous Uchiha? No. I shook my head. I knew that I would be just as worried if Naruto or Lee had gone missing. That's what friends did, right?

"Hey guys, I think I found something." Naruto's voice crackled over the walkie-talkie speakers, effectively scaring the crap out of me. I screamed, jumping into the air and almost falling to the forest floor in my rush to yank the black palm sized object out of my jeans.

"What is it?" Lee questioned and I heard the sound of leaves crunching in the background.

"Meet me back at the park entrance."

Almost groaning in exhaustion, I turned on my heel and attempted to backtrack through the woods. Luckily, I had only walked in a straight path so I didn't have to battle my way out of the park. After another fifteen minutes of walking I finally emerged from between two tightly spaced trees and out into the park entrance. Naruto was already there with his back to me, and I walked over to meet him.

"Naruto." He turned around and I had to suppress the giggle that threatened to bubble up as I caught sight of him. He had leaves and twigs stuck into his blonde hair and dirt smeared all over his face. If it wasn't for the serious look on his face I would have grinned at the sight.

"Lyn-chan—" Whatever Naruto was about to say was abruptly cut off as a figure came bounding through a couple of bushes, stumbling over a root and twisting to the ground. He landed with a groan and rubbed the back of his head.

"Jesus, Lee!" I half-screamed, holding a hand to my heart to try and calm it's furious beating. "You okay?"

"Yes! I am fine." The green beast picked himself up off of the forest floor and picked a small trig out of his hair before giving us a thumbs up. "Do not worry about me!"

Rubbing the heel of my hand against my forehead, I turned back to Naruto. "What did you find?"

Naruto, shaking off the sudden distraction, lifted up a piece of cloth in his hand that I hadn't noticed before. It glowed under the moon light and I knew that if I touched it, it would be incredibly soft. "This was a part of Sasuke's shirt; I remember seeing him wear it this morning."

"Perhaps we should search the rest of Konoha." Lee suggested, coming to a stop beside me.

Naruto's blonde hair blew in the gentle night breeze and he ran a hand through it with a frustrated sigh. "Let's go back to my house and get some more supplies. We'll need a map and a plan."

We all agreed and made our way to Naruto's grey Jeep, piling into the vehicle. The drive back to the blonde's house was silent and filled with tension. Leaning back against the leather seats, I couldn't help but glance at the dashboard clock with weary eyes. I closed them when the green numbers read off that it was a little past one in the morning. I hadn't been up this late since God knows when.

I sighed and felt my brows draw together. What the _hell_ had Sasuke been doing in the woods? This whole thing was like some kind of Sherlock Holmes mystery and we just couldn't piece together the clues. Sasuke had left his car on the side of the road, with the keys in the ignition. And then he drops his phone outside of the park and tore part of his shirt in the woods.

Maybe…maybe he had been running from something. But what? And why? Who would hold a grudge against him? I mean, sure he was rich, but I highly doubted that anyone would even dare to kidnap him for ransom. But maybe someone was stupid enough to try. But who? These questions burned at the back of my mind and I could feel myself growing frustrated. Too many things were going unanswered and I wanted to find out what the hell was going on.

The car slid to a stop and my head jerked with the movement and it wasn't until then that I noticed that I had fallen asleep. A soft beeping echoed through the car as the two boys in the front seats opened their doors and I yawned, following their lead. I slammed the car door behind me and followed the bowl cut in front of me. I had never been to Naruto's house before, but I was way too tired to care at that moment.

It wasn't until I tripped over something lying in the middle of Naruto's driveway that my eyes snapped to full attention. My arms flared as I tried to regain my balance and I couldn't help but glare down at the thing blocking my path. It was dark and I could barely make it out, but it looked like a leg and I bent down to examine it further. The two boys had already reached Naruto's porch by then and I ignored their chatter. I followed the object to where it disappeared into a pair of bushes that lined Naruto's walkway.

"What the hell?" I muttered to myself and lightly prodded the object with my finger. It was still until it suddenly moved. Scrambling back in fright, I let out a squeak and stared wide eyed as the bushes started moving.

"Guys!" I screamed, backing away until my back hit the front tire of Naruto's Jeep. I watched the bushes shake and something pale and long shot out from the leaves, forcing a scream from my throat.

"Lyn-chan!" Naruto's panicked voice echoed in the quiet neighborhood as he rounded back around the porch corner. "What's wrong?!"

Speechless, I pointed towards the moving bushes as another pale object shot out. Before I could even flinch, Naruto was by my side, kneeling beside me and pulling me protectively into his chest.

"What the _hell _is that?!"

A groan came next and I flinched back into Naruto's muscular chest, letting the scent of ramen and strawberries overcome my senses. By this time, I was clutching onto the blonde's shirt, my knuckles turning white with the force. Where was Lee?! Another groan came, this time it was accompanied by a head slowly poking out between the leaves. The dark hair stuck out at odd angles and hazy onyx eyes stared back at us.

"What," The groggy voice muttered. "What's with all the screaming? Dobe."

"SASUKE?!" Me and Naruto's voices were loud enough to wake the whole neighborhood.

…

"So, you were in Naruto's bushes because…?" I shut my eyes in exasperation. After rescuing Sasuke from the gang of bushes, we had dragged him inside of Naruto's house and demanded an explanation. I shifted my position on the blonde knucklehead's couch and rested my head back against the cushions.

A sigh came from the onyx eye's man's direction. "The door was locked."

Naruto, who's mouth had been hanging open ever since we made it inside of his house, exclaimed, "WHERE WERE YOU?"

"I was on my way over," Sasuke ran a tired hand through his messy hair. "Until my car broke down. So I popped the hood to check it out and accidently locked myself out. And cut through the nature park to get here, only to find the door locked. I guess I fell asleep outside waiting for the dobe to get home."

Lee, who had passed out in an armchair, groaned and muttered in his sleep.

"But that doesn't explain your phone and torn shirt." I pointed out.

A strangled sound, much like a dying animal, came from Naruto's direction as he pointed an accusing finger at Sasuke. "Where were you?!"

"I dropped my phone," Sasuke sighed and ignored his idiotic friend. "And it was too dark to find it and I my shirt got caught on a tree branch on my way over." This whole night had just turned into a big joke and I felt like I was getting a giant middle finger from life.

"So while we were looking for you this whole time, you were actually here. At Naruto's house."

"Hn." The Uchiha leaned back against the love seat he was sitting on and closed his eyes in exhaustion.

"What?" Naruto shouted in confusion. "You were here the whole time?"

Feeling the stress and worry that I had been experiencing all night build up, I felt my jaw clench in anger. This _whole time_, everything was for nothing. Naruto had blown up something small into a big unnecessary deal. Again.

"Naruto." I growled, turning my anger onto him. From his place beside me, he looked at me in slight fear. I felt my fists clench at my sides.

"Y-yeah, Lyn-chan?"

And then I hit him in the stomach. Hard.

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><p><strong>Tehee, I'm so evil. :P Review? <strong>


	15. A Day of Tears and Confusion

**Ahh, smell the aroma of a new chapter. I have to say, this chapter turned out** _nothing_** like I had planned, haha. It seemed to have taken on a mind of its own! Anyway, I want to thank all of my readers and reviewers for keeping me motivated! **

**Also, it's just a suggestion, but I want to know what you guys think. Should I go back through the older chapters and edit them? Because I feel that my writing has improved a lot since then and I want this story to flow well. Anyway, please tell me what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, picture frames, or mysterious forces. I sadly only own the OC and the plot!**

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><p>Chapter Fifteen:<p>

A Day For Tears and Confusion

The aroma of sizzling bacon and fried eggs wafted through the air, its scent tempting those who had the privilege of inhaling its scent. It was morning time and the sun had just begun its accent into the pink and orange sky and the birds perched themselves onto tree branches, preparing themselves to awaken those who were still sleeping. The day was just beginning and anyone who took the chance to glance into the outdoors would know that it was going to be a beautiful one.

I lay there, staring into the empty space. My head was propped up onto the soft pillows behind me and I sighed as the sun peaked in through the blinds shielding my window. I could feel the breeze drifting in from between the cracks and I closed my eyes, enjoying the cool air on my cheeks. It was Tuesday morning and I still hadn't gotten out of bed. The dream from last night haunted my mind and I let a sigh escape from between my lips. I let myself lay there for a few more minutes before forcefully heaving myself up from bed and I swung my legs over the side. Reaching for my bedside table, I grabbed my contact lenses case and headed for the bathroom connected to my room.

I stayed in my pajamas and flicked the bathroom light switch off as I finally emerged. I was staying home from school today and no one could stop me. Reluctantly shuffling my feet, I made it to my bedroom door and swung it open before making the short trek down the hallway to the stairs. As I trudged down, I could hear the sizzling of bacon on the pan and the light humming of my mother. Reaching the bottom, I turned and wandered off in the direction of her voice, following the tempting aroma of food.

"Good morning, sleepy head!"' I glanced up and met the green eyes of my mother. She was standing in front of the stove wearing an unusually frilly apron over her work uniform and pink slippers. Ignoring how all of that clashed together, I grunted in response and walked over to pull out a chair. I sat down with a sigh and folded my arms on the table.

"What time is it?" Was my groggy question.

"Around one in the afternoon," She sang, and then pulled the skillet off of the stove in order to dump its contents onto a plate.

"One in the afternoon?!" My head shot up in shock and I stared her down as she went over to pull a carton of orange juice from the fridge. She set it down on the kitchen table and shuffled back over to the stove.

"Yup! I was wondering when you were going to get up! And I even made breakfast for you."

"Yeah," I started suspiciously. "What's with the breakfast anyway? Shouldn't you be off at work or something?"

My mother paused and glanced over at me from the kitchen island. Her curly locks were pulled back into a bun with a few strands falling to frame her face. She had a plate full of bacon, eggs, and toast in her hand and she stood in one place as she looked at me. There was some sort of sad emotion in her eyes that I couldn't quite decipher, and to be honest, I didn't know if I wanted to. She cleared her throat before opening her mouth to speak.

"I know that today is hard for you, so try and bear with me, okay?"

I swallowed at the sudden dryness in my mouth and struggled to come up with a response. But before I could even open my mouth, she was in motion again, setting the plate of food down in front of me. Her scent reached my nose and I was just able to detect the smell of strawberries before she stood up straight again.

"I have to be off to work now, so try and behave." She sang, already back to her normal self; the serious moment forgotten. "And if you're going to have any boys over, don't do anything that you'll regret!~"

I was left in stunned silence once again and I choked on my own words as she ruffled my hair before prancing out of the room. Well that was…odd. Sighing yet again for what felt like the hundredth time, I grabbed the fork that was lying on the table and dug into the food in front of me. After I was finished, I downed the rest of my orange juice left in the cup and dumped the dirty dishes into the sink none to gracefully. I stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do.

The clock hanging on the wall above the stove alerted me that it was just a little past one o'clock. After a moment, my feet finally budged and I was able to move from the place that I was routed in. As I slowly walked down the short hallway into the living room, I let my eyes wander to the framed photos hanging on the walls. They each had a different shape to them, some rectangular, others circular. They spanned down the length of the hallway, each one taking up a space on the white wall. I paused at one and stood in the hallway, letting my eyes roam over the waxed photo as if committing it to memory.

Reaching out, I let a finger lightly roam the golden edge of the frame, the flesh of my skin digging into the grooves. A man stood within the photo, standing with his arm around a woman with short, curly hair. He looked young then, just barely hitting his late twenties. Dark black hair glimmered in the setting sun and his long baggy pants were sticking to grains of sand. He was standing on the beach, a white button up shirt opened and blowing with what must have been a gentle breeze.

The man's eyes were squinted in happiness, the whiteness of his teeth showing as he grinned shamelessly at the camera. His dark brows were lifted to peak on his forehead, giving him a truly carefree presence. The woman next to him had her eyes shut and her mouth hung open in silent laughter. The man had an arm stretched behind her head, two fingers lifting to give the woman bunny ears. His other one rested on his hip as if he were some kind of superhero posing for a picture. But when I thought about it, maybe he really was a superhero.

Blinking, I saw more than felt a tiny drop of water fall onto the hallway floor. It was soon followed by another and I silently cursed, reaching up to wipe away the moisture with the back of my hand. My vision started to blur and I knew that was where I had to draw the line.

"Get a _grip_, Lyn." I spoke through clenched teeth and shut my eyes, willing for the tears to stop falling. "Come on. You're stronger than this."

Letting out a quivering breath, I opened my eyes and inhaled deeply, allowing the oxygen to flow through my body. After a few more deep breaths, I continued down the rest of the hallway, not risking a look back. The living room came into view and I couldn't help but notice the still silence in the house. There was nothing, but me and my thoughts. I couldn't handle it, so, making my way towards the plush couch, I snatched up the remote and flipped on the television. It immediately came on, the light illuminating the room more, combining with the sun trying to peak in through the curtained windows behind me.

It was a show I didn't recognize, but I didn't care. Taking the remote, I pressed the button to turn up the volume. I hoped that if it was loud enough it would distract me from my thoughts. I tried to concentrate on the actors moving across the screen, focusing on their lips moving. There was laughter in the background and I could only assume that I had turned on some kind of sitcom. It was pointless really; it didn't distract me in the least.

Groaning quietly to myself, I leaned back and stretched myself across the couch, letting my head hit a pillow. I closed my eyes and tried to block out anything that came to mind, trying only to focus on the stupid woman's voice coming from the television. And soon enough I had drifted off, the sounds of laughter following me into my dreams.

"_Hey, daddy!" A little girl, no older than four years old, came running at full speed towards the bottom of a worn staircase. Her short black hair framed big, innocent blue eyes and they lit up as the little girl's vision landed on a man standing in the kitchen doorway. The memory was clear, and years later, when the girl looked back on this moment, she would remember every detail. The way the dust floated in the sunlight streaming in through the big bay windows by the front door. How the television in the small, but cozy living room was turned on mute as a soap opera played, the actors lips moving in silence. The fat, orange cat lying lazily on the brown wooden chair in the dining room, the table, round and worn down from use._

_The little girl would look back and savor it._

"_Daddy!" Her small voice raised in pitch and filled with excitement. She was a blur as she continued her race past the rectangular aquarium filled with tiny blue fish and past the cabinet filled with old china sets. She ran right into the awaiting arms of the man standing in the kitchen doorway._

"_Ahh!" The man grinned and lifted the girl up from underneath her arms. "There's daddy's little girl!"_

_The girl giggled and smiled wide, showing off her missing front teeth for the whole world to see and take notice. Reaching out a small hand, she rested it on the unshaven face of her father. His dark grey eyes crinkled in the corners as he stared back at her, his own stupid grin on his face. He had been shipped off to war a year ago, volunteering to do the jobs that most would fear. The man's eyes, while bright with happiness, were deeply shadowed with the horrors that he had witnessed. His hair, which was once dark and glimmering with health, was brittle and grey. But only those who looked close enough would ever notice._

"_How's my favorite girl been, huh?" The man grinned down at his daughter and he shifted her more comfortably in his arms._

"_Good!" The little girl sung out, a smile tugging at her lips. "Mommy showed me how to braid my doll's hair and I played out in the garden yesterday while it was raining! But shhh!" She held a child sized finger up to the man's lips as she staged whispered:_

"_Don't tell mommy!"_

_Checking over both shoulders in the most dramatic way, the man whispered back, _"_Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."_

_He winked at her and she held out her littlest finger towards him. _"_Pinky promise?"_

"_Pinky promise."_

_Later that night the man received a phone call, one that called him back to fight a war that wasn't his battle. That was the last memory she had of him. Her father and his pinky promise._

BANG! BANG! BANG!

I jumped, startled from sleep by an obnoxious hammering. Feeling my heart rate start to slow down, I took a breath through my mouth and sat up, my joints cracking in the process. There was a slight burning sensation coming from my eyes and that was when I realized that I had fallen asleep in my contact lenses. _Smooth, Lyn. _The sound suddenly resounded throughout the house once again. Shaking the fragments of my lingering dream from my mind, I looked around until I found the source. Someone was banging on my front door. My eyebrows knit together in confusion and turning off the television, I slowly shuffled over towards the sound. It came again and my eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Chill out, I'm coming!" I huffed, standing on the step that leads to the front door. I reached out and grasped the handle, feeling the cold brass beneath my palm as I swung the door open.

Before me in all of his glory, stood Sasuke Uchiha. He had a hand buried deep into the pocket of his knee length, baggy denim shorts. They looked designer and I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes. What else should I have expected him to wear? But as my eyes slowly took him in, I felt my mouth go dry.

His attention had been diverted before I opened the door, something obviously catching his attention off to the side. So all I got was his illuminated profile, the sun behind him casting a glow on his features. His pale pink lips were pulled down at the corners in a slight from, still somehow managing to make him appear angelic. Sasuke's nose, which I had noticed for the first time, was slightly upturned, but still barely noticeable. He had a long-sleeved shirt on once again, but this time it was a button up and made of some kind of light material. The top three buttons were undone, succeeding in exposing soft looking pale flesh beneath. His dark hair was style like normal, except this time I noticed that it was a tad bit shorter than usual. He had obviously gotten a cut recently, most likely today seeing as how I had just seen Sasuke yesterday. All in all, he looked like a fallen angel and I couldn't help choking on my breath. Since when had he become attractive?!

Well, more attractive than usual. Shaking the thought from my head, I watched as he turned towards me, onyx eyes meeting my own.

"What are you doing here?" A slight smirk lifted up a corner of his mouth, almost a complete 180 from the frown before.

"I was asked to deliver your math homework."

It wasn't until that moment that I noticed the textbooks in the hand that wasn't stuffed in his pocket. They looked heavy and I had to hold back tears of despair as I thought of all of the work that I was going to need to catch up on. I sighed, before pausing and assessing the books in his hand again.

"Why do you have so many?" And why did they send _you_ of all people? Couldn't they have sent someone else, like someone who didn't communicate like a caveman? But no, it had to be _him_. As if it wasn't bad enough that I had already been trying to avoid him after the odd incident on the boat, but now I had no choice but to speak with him.

"Kakashi asked me to bring your chemistry homework as well." Again with the damn smirk. "Any more questions?"

"No, thanks." I muttered, feeling my eye twitch and holding out my arms to take the books from him. But, to my complete and utter surprise, instead of placing them in my awaiting grasp, he maneuvered around me. I felt the scratchy material of his shirt as he brushed past me and made his way inside my house. My jaw dropped open with shock and I felt rooted to the ground. Did that really just happen?

"Are you going to stand out there all day, Sorano?" Sasuke's voice called from inside my house and I wasn't sure, but I swore I could hear amusement in his tone.

"You can't just barge into my house!" I turned and shut the door behind me, turning the lock with a _click_. I stood on the step and folded my arms across my chest, sending daggers at the duck haired man. Sasuke had dumped the entire stack of textbooks in his hand onto the glass coffee table in front of the couch.

"You were the one standing with the door open, idiot." The smirk was back and he stood, staring my down as if I were the one that broke into _his _house.

I couldn't help but gape at him, speechless, my mouth opening and closing like a fish. What was with Sasuke? For the short amount of time that I had known him, never had he treated me like this. Maybe the whole conversation on the ship had somehow changed his view of me, I didn't know. But he was acting weird, more open; almost as if we were…friends and had known each other for years._ What the hell was going on?_

"Yeah, well," I felt my eye twitch, half in annoyance and half in confusion. "I figured that since it was a free country and all, I'm allowed to open doors in my own home."

"Tch." Instead of leaving like I thought he would, Sasuke rounded the coffee table and leaned against the back of the couch. He appeared so casual that it was hard to believe that this was the same guy who I had met a couple of days ago.

The Uchiha prodigy's onyx eyes met mine, seeming to see straight into my soul. His bangs had fallen slightly into his eyes but he didn't appear to care. I couldn't look away and I didn't know how to react to that tiny fact. Suddenly, almost as if he had found what he was looking for, the corner of his lips perked up yet again.

"You don't look sick to me."

"What are you talking about?" My eyebrows bunched in confusion.

"Isn't that why you stayed home?" Sasuke raised a perfectly shaped brow and let his eyes roam around the room. I watched as he took in everything in silence as I took the time to answer.

"Yeah, sure," I finally answered, letting the lie slip off of my tongue. Since when did he care anyway?

"Liar."

My eyes narrowed and I stepped down from where I stood and made my way further into the living room. But instead of leaning against the couch like he was, I sat down on the arm of the small armchair near the television.

"Why are you here, anyway? To harass me?"

"I thought I already told you." He had turned to face me after I changed positions. Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and propped up one leg behind the other. That way, all of his weight was just leaning on one. The Uchiha seemed to have made himself right at home, his shoes already off and sitting by the door.

"Yeah, yeah; to deliver my homework or whatever. But no, what I meant was, why are you r_eally_ here? You could have left after dropping that stuff off, but you didn't."

The silence after my question was only broken by the light _tick-ticking_ of the clock in the kitchen. Sasuke's eyes were boring into my own yet again and I didn't know what to do. It took a few moments, but finally he answered. Though not in the way that I expected.

"I'm curious, Sorano." His voice held that curiosity and he unconsciously tilted his head slightly to the side in thought. I was almost afraid to ask, but I did anyway.

"Curious about what?"

"Why you said no."

Sasuke's last words seemed to hit me like a truck, knocking the wind right out of me. My lips parted slightly in surprise and I knew that I couldn't play stupid. I was completely aware of what he was referring to, and I already knew that he was aware that I knew. There were no words that would form and my brain hurriedly attempted to keep up with my rapidly beating heart.

"What do you mean," Were the first words to form on my lips. They had completely slipped out without my permission and I was mentally slapping myself. Since when had denial ever worked?

"You don't remember?" His response was dry, as if he knew exactly what was running through my head. But there was still that undertone of amusement. I knew at that moment that he wouldn't hesitate to ask me the same question he asked on the ship.

"No. I say no to a lot of things." I managed to stutter out. I was no good at things like this! Turning him down once had been easy, almost as if my body had been on auto-pilot. But now, for some reason I felt nervous and clenched my hands into fists. They had been becoming moist with sweat and I was confused. Why the hell was I so _nervous_? This was Sasuke we were talking about here! Duck Butt, Mr. I-only-care-about-myself, the rich kid! So why did my heart suddenly pick up speed? I didn't know what was going on with me and I sure as hell didn't like it.

"I'll just say it again then." His dark eyes stared me down and he folded his arms across his chest. Sasuke's posture was practically screaming with confidence. "Why won't you go on a da—"

The end of Sasuke's sentence was abruptly cut off when the door to my house slammed open. Dust settled around the doorway and into the house. It had been completely blown off its hinges and was just barely hanging onto the door frame. The explosion had been loud and my ears were ringing in the intense silence that blanketed the house. _What the hell_?! I locked that door! Both of our heads snapped up at the sudden noise and we stood there in silence, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"What was _that_?" My eyes were wide and I hopped off of the armchair and stopped next to Sasuke. I didn't even process what he had just said, instead my eyes were glued to the door that was now standing wide open. It blew gently with the breeze outside, but that wasn't what caused my confusion and panic. No, it was the fact that there was no one standing there. There was absolutely_ nothing_ that could have blown open that door.

"Sorano." Slowly, I was able to tear my un-wielding stare away from the doorway, and up at Sasuke's face. "Didn't you lock that door?"

"Yeah." I shakily breathed. I really didn't like where this was going.


End file.
